Author: James Slater
The end of the year brings another Game Awards show, stemming all the way back from 2014. When it comes to nominations, I find myself disagreeing with certain winners, especially Game of the Year winners, but I could always at least see the merit and see why the winner got its kudos. However, even before the show itself, I find myself disagreeing with a simple nomination.
Shadow of the Erdtree, DLC to 2022's game of the year winner Elden Ring, has secured several nominations, including game of the year. This choice has been incredibly controversial on social media, with a lot of people calling it biased, or suggesting that it should have been a separate category.
Both points have significant weight. For this to be the first expansion to be nominated for Game of the Year neglects the Cyberpunk 2077 expansion, which launched last year to near universal acclaim. Similar pricing, similar size, and both needing many prerequisites to even experience initially, make these two expansions much more similar than the show may realize.
Arguments can be made for many other expansions throughout the years being ignored as well. Xenoblade 2 ‘s expansion, Tourna the Golden Country, an expansion big enough to be its own cart, was controversially ignored. Several years later, Xenoblade 3’s expansion, Future Redeemed, was also ignored completely, earning zero nominations. Other game series were subject to non-qualification for Game of the Year, such as Destiny, The Witcher, Final Fantasy, and the aforementioned Cyberpunk.
The situation gets more baffling when considering a much simpler fix, creating a separate category. A category, Best Ongoing Game, already exists. However, a separate ‘Best Expansion’ category would qualm nearly every complaint being levelled to the awards show. Enough expansions have been released in 2024 to fill out a potential list:
Destiny 2: The Final Shape
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
Alan Wake II: Night Springs
No matter what the winner may be, Shadow of the Erdtree would have its chance at even another award, and the Game of the Year category can be cleared for another potential full release game, including notable snubs such as Persona 3 Reload, Helldivers 2, or, a wild card choice, and my personal favorite, Unicorn Overlord.
Elden Ring walked away from the 2022 Game Awards with four awards, including the coveted Game of the Year. While the expansion is, by all definitions, incredible, the game itself isn’t lacking in awards. Shadow of the Erdtree itself has four nominations, and regardless if it wins any or not, its placement in those category aligns with previous years shows. Bending the rules to allow it into the Game of the Year category, arguably the most important category in the entire show, does seem a little biased.
Shadow of the Erdtree more than likely deserves the awards it will win, but a potential Game of the Year should not be one of them. Stretching the definition of a ‘game’ is bad enough, but a seemingly purposeful bending of the rules for this specific expansion has rightfully left a sour taste in the mouths of gamers and even die hard fans alike. A change is extremely unlikely, borderline zero percent, but the hope remains of a change for this year’s show, and if not, a change for future shows.
There definitely should be a game expansion category.