‘Death Stranding’ Leads Game Developers Choice Awards Nominees

The Game Developers Conference, an annual gathering of video game developers and media held in San Francisco, on Wednesday unveiled the nominees for its 20th annual Game Developers Choice Awards.

ByPatrick Shanley

Plus Icon

Patrick Shanley

View All

January 8, 2020 9:18am

• Share on Facebook
• Share on X
• Google Preferred
• Share to Flipboard
• Show additional share options
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Whats App
• Send an Email
• Print the Article
• Post a Comment

• Share on Facebook
• Share on X
• Google Preferred
• Share to Flipboard
• Show additional share options
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Whats App
• Send an Email
• Print the Article
• Post a Comment

The Game Developers Conference (GDC), an annual gathering of video game developers and media held in San Francisco, on Wednesday unveiled the nominees for its 20th annual Game Developers Choice Awards.

Hideo Kojima’sDeath Stranding leads the field with seven mentions, including for game of the year, with Remedy Entertainment’sControl and Mobius Digital and Annapurna Interactive’sOuter Wilds close behind with five each. All games released in calendar year 2019 were eligible for nominations.

Nominees and winners are selected by the Game Developers Choice Awards-specific International Choice Awards Network (ICAN), an invitation-only organization comprised of “game creators” across the industry.

Related Stories

TV

How 'The Simpsons' Conquered 'Fortnite' (Exclusive)

Business

The Game Awards: 'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33' Leads Nominations

The awards ceremony is set to be held March 18 at the San Francisco Moscone Center during GDC. Kim Swift, game design director of Google’s Stadia 2P Games, will host.

The full list of nominees is below.

GAME OF THE YEAR

Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Control (Remedy Entertainment/505 Games)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (FromSoftware/Activision)
Untitled Goose Game (House House/Panic)
Outer Wilds (Mobius Digital/Annapurna Interactive)

Honorable Mentions: Disco Elysium (ZA/UM), The Outer Worlds (Obsidian Entertainment/Private Division), Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts), Apex Legends (Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts)

BEST MOBILE GAME

Sayonara Wild Hearts (Simogo/Annapurna Interactive)
What the Golf? (Triband Productions/The Label Limited)
Grindstone (Capybara Games)
Sky: Children of the Light (thatgamecompany)
Call of Duty: Mobile (TiMi Studios/Activision)

Honorable Mentions: Mutazione (Die Gute Fabrik/Akupara Games), Assemble with Care (ustwo), Pilgrims (Amanita Design), Archero (Habby), Card of Darkness (Choice Provisions), Mini Motorways (Dinosaur Polo Club)

BEST NARRATIVE

Disco Elysium (ZA/UM)
Control (Remedy Entertainment/505 Games)
Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
The Outer Worlds (Obsidian Entertainment/Private Division)
Outer Wilds (Mobius Digital/Annapurna Interactive)

Honorable Mentions: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts), Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Intelligent Systems, Koei Tecmo Games/Nintendo), A Plague Tale: Innocence (Asobo Studio/Focus Home Interactive), Heaven’s Vault (inkle), Mutazione (Die Gute Fabrik/Akupara Games), Telling Lies (Drowning a Mermaid Productions, Furious Bee/Annapurna Interactive)

BEST TECHNOLOGY

Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Control (Remedy Entertainment/505 Games)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (Infinity Ward/Activision)
Apex Legends (Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts)
Noita (Nolla Games)

Honorable Mentions: Gears 5 (The Coalition/Xbox Game Studios), Resident Evil 2 (Capcom), Manifold Garden (William Chyr Studios), Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (FromSoftware/Activision), The Outer Worlds(Obsidian Entertainment/Private Division), Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts), Outer Wilds (Mobius Digital/Annapurna Interactive)

BEST VISUAL ART

Control (Remedy Entertainment/505 Games)
Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (FromSoftware/Activision)
Sayonara Wild Hearts (Simogo/Annapurna Interactive)
Disco Elysium (ZA/UM)

Honorable Mentions: Outer Wilds (Mobius Digital/Annapurna Interactive), Untitled Goose Game (House House/Panic), The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Grezzo/Nintendo), Luigi’s Mansion 3 (Next Level Games/Nintendo), Void Bastards (Blue Manchu/Humble Bundle)

BEST VR/AR GAME

Vader Immortal (ILMxLAB/Disney)
Blood & Truth (SCEE Studio London/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Asgard’s Wrath (Sanzaru Games/Oculus Studios)
Boneworks (Stress Level Zero)
Pistol Whip (Cloudhead Games)

Honorable Mentions: Trover Saves the Universe (Squanch Games), Falcon Age (Outerloop Games), Ghost Giant (Zoink), Vacation Simulator (Owlchemy Labs), Stormland (Insomniac Games/Oculus Studios

BEST AUDIO

Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Sayonara Wild Hearts (Simogo/Annapurna Interactive)
Control (Remedy Entertainment/505 Games)
Untitled Goose Game (House House/Panic)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (Infinity Ward/Activision)

Honorable Mentions: Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring the Legend of Zelda (Brace Yourself Games/Nintendo), Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts), Disco Elysium (ZA/UM), Ape Out (Gabe Cuzzillo, Bennett Foddy, Matt Boch/Devolver Digital), Outer Wilds (Mobius Digital/Annapurna Interactive)

BEST DEBUT

ZA/UM (Disco Elysium)
Mobius Digital (Outer Wilds)
William Chyr Studios (Manifold Garden)
Foam Sword Games (Knights and Bikes)
Chance Agency (Neo Cab)

BEST DESIGN

Baba Is You (Hempuli)
Outer Wilds (Mobius Digital/Annapurna Interactive)
Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (FromSoftware/Activision Publishing, FromSoftware)
Untitled Goose Game (House House/Panic)

Honorable Mentions: Disco Elysium (ZA/UM), Control (Remedy Entertainment/505 Games), Apex Legends (Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts), The Outer Worlds (Obsidian Entertainment/Private Division), Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Respawn Entertainment/Electronic Arts), Luigi’s Mansion 3 (Next Level Games/Nintendo)

INNOVATION AWARD

Untitled Goose Game (House House/Panic)
Disco Elysium (ZA/UM)
Baba Is You (Hempuli)
Death Stranding (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Outer Wilds (Mobius Digital/Annapurna Interactive)

Honorable Mentions: Control (Remedy Entertainment/505 Games), Hypnospace Outlaw (Tendershoot, ThatWhichIs Media/No More Robots), Kind Words (Popcannibal), Ring Fit Adventure (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo), Wattam (Funomena/Annapurna Interactive)

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

SEE MY OPTIONSSign Up

From the Magazine

From Nicole’s Break-Up Bangs to Scarlett’s Movie-Star Maximalism: Hollywood’s 25 Biggest Beauty Moments of 2025

ByMeg Hemphill,Carol McColgin, Producer

Rian Johnson Goes Off on AI as He Looks to His Post-‘Knives Out’ Future

ByDavid Canfield

Disney’s AI Gamble Is Riskier Than You Think

BySteven Zeitchik

Hollywood’s Top Legal Troubleshooters

ByAlexis Faber

Most Popular

‘Stranger Things’ Star Millie Bobby Brown on Current Relationship With David Harbour After Bullying Claims

ByCarly Thomas

How to Watch the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Online Without Cable for Free

ByRudie Obias

Ethan Browne, Model-Actor-Musician and Son of Jackson Browne, Dies at 52

ByKimberly Nordyke

Must Reads

The Making of ‘Wicked: For Good’ With Flying, Belting and a “Wonderful” Ride

ByCaitlin Huston

Rian Johnson Goes Off on AI as He Looks to His Post-‘Knives Out’ Future

ByDavid Canfield

From Nicole’s Break-Up Bangs to Scarlett’s Movie-Star Maximalism: Hollywood’s 25 Biggest Beauty Moments of 2025

ByMeg Hemphill,Carol McColgin, Producer

How Kevin Costner Lost Hollywood

ByPeter Kiefer