The Game Awards season is upon us, and with nominations for 2025 now announced, the usual debates about snubs and surprises are in full swing. However, one glaring omission continues to plague the prestigious event: the lack of a dedicated Best Horror Game category.
This oversight is baffling, considering horror’s enduring popularity and significant impact on the gaming landscape. It’s time for The Game Awards to rectify this and give horror the recognition it deserves.
Key Takeaways:
- The Game Awards has yet to introduce a Best Horror Game category.
- Horror is a consistently popular and influential genre in gaming.
- Ignoring horror diminishes its artistic and commercial contributions.
- Adding this category would acknowledge a vital part of the industry.
The Enduring Popularity of Horror
Horror games have consistently delivered some of the most innovative, terrifying, and memorable experiences in gaming. Titles like Resident Evil Village, The Last of Us Part II (which often straddles survival horror and action), and indie darlings such as Amnesia: The Dark Descent have pushed boundaries in storytelling, atmosphere, and player immersion.
These games aren’t just jump scares; they delve into psychological thrills, explore dark themes, and craft deeply unsettling worlds that resonate with millions of players. The genre fosters unique mechanics and narrative structures that deserve critical acknowledgment.
Why a Dedicated Category Matters
By excluding a Best Horror Game award, The Game Awards implicitly devalues the genre’s artistic merit and its significant commercial success. It sends a message that horror experiences, despite their complexity and impact, are secondary to other categories.
A dedicated category would not only celebrate the developers and publishers excelling in this niche but also encourage further innovation. It would provide a clear benchmark for excellence in horror game design, attracting more attention and resources to the genre.
Editor’s Take
As a publication that covers the full spectrum of gaming, it’s frustrating to see a genre with such a dedicated fanbase and rich history consistently overlooked by major awards. The Game Awards aims to be the
