The gamers have spoken and all the votes for the 2022 Steam Awards are in. Did your favorite game win Game of the Year? Did that live service title that keeps getting killer updates win the unique “Labor of Love” award? We’ve got a list of all 2022 Steam Award winners and nominees below.
The Steam Awards are finally here to round out the 2022 video game accolades season. Unlike the Game Awards, which are decided by a panel of select game critics, the Steam Awards are decided entirely by fan votes from gamers (making it a bit more fun, in our opinion).
In addition to standard awards like Game of the Year and Best Soundtrack, the Steam Awards also includes more unique categories like “Better With Friends” and “Best Game You Suck At.” On top of that, the awards are for games that made their way to Steam throughout the year, including titles previously released on console that were released on PC for the first time this year. You won’t see God of War Ragnarök at this show, but you will see the original God of War game.
Voters were able to cast their votes from from December 22 until January 3.
“Maybe it was its immersive gameplay, or its gripping story … its well-crafted characters, immaculate design, or addictive multiplayer. Whatever the reason, the winner of this year’s Game of the Year Award is an instant classic,” Steam says on its website.
“The VR Game of the Year isn’t merely masquerading as regular reality. This game improves on reality, taking advantage of the medium of VR and pushing the boundaries of the virtual realm.”
“This game has been out for a while. The team is well past the debut of their creative baby, but being the good parents they are, these devs continue to nurture and support their creation. This game, to this day, is still getting new content after all these years.”
“There are some games out there that just aren’t the same when you play by yourself. Maybe you need to have a friend to watch your back. Maybe you need to have a friend that you can stab in their back. Either way, fun is awaiting those who gather friends together play this game.”
“Visual style doesn’t aspire to real-world graphical fidelity (though a noble goal in itself) … it describes a distinctive look and feel that suffuses an entire game.”
“The designers of this game are at the front lines of creative experimentation, bringing a fresh perspective and brain-breaking surprises. This game delighted, inspired, and entertained with newness never played before.”
“This is the game that rewards persistence, and is not for the faint of heart. It’s the toughest game we’ve ever loved.”
“This unsung hero deserves to be recognized for its outstanding musical score. It’s the OST with the MOST!”
“Some days, only a narrative-heavy game will hit the spot, and this one packs a wallop. It’s as gripping as any soap opera, and as well-tuned as a prestige-TV screenplay. Bravissimo — for making us feel things!”
“This game is the antidote to a busy day. It’s smooth, it’s relaxing, it lets your worries melt away. This game is your moment of zen.”
“This game was so good, you wanted to take it everywhere. So you did! And luckily, everything that made it endlessly playable at your desk got even better on the go.”
Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.
Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.
Gaming laptops and I have a complicated relationship. One of my first gaming rigs was an Acer Predator that was already outdated when I bought it. I was a broke college kid, and that was the best I could afford. So trying out high-end gaming laptops is always fun. But ASUS' ROG Zephyrus G14 is a lot more than a laptop that can run AAA games. It is portable, so you're not lugging around a 2.5kg machine everywhere you go. It is built well, none of that plastic chassis, and can even function as a normal laptop outside of just gaming.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.