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Who led the 2024 Golden Joystick nominations?
GamesRadar+ reported the following leaders when voting opened in October 2024:
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2027 | $10.18 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Outus 50 Pcs Video Game Bookmarks for Boys, Gamer Party Favors | $6.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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The Video Game Chef: 76 Iconic Foods from Pac-Man to Elden Ring | $20.57 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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The Greatest Video Game Music | $15.29 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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A Composer's Guide to Game Music (Mit Press) | $28.45 | Buy on Amazon |
| Game | Nominations |
|---|---|
| Astro Bot | 5 |
| Final Fantasy VII Rebirth | 5 |
| Helldivers 2 | 4 |
| Balatro | 3 |
Those totals count nominations across categories; they do not rank the games by quality. The initial public-voting round covered 19 categories, according to GamesRadar+.
What were the shortlist’s surprises?
The clearest sign of breadth was Balatro: Forbes described it as a poker deck-building roguelike, and it collected three nominations alongside the year’s major releases. Calling any single nomination “shocking” is subjective, but recognition for smaller titles was a concrete feature of the slate.
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Other examples included Animal Well, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Crow Country, Conscript, Harold Halibut, UFO 50 and Tactical Breach Wizards. The awards also introduced Best Indie Game – Self Published, intended for games made and published by a small team or developer, particularly those without the financial or technical support of a larger publisher. Forbes covered Balatro and the indie field in its October 4, 2024 report.
Daniel Dawkins, GamesRadar+’s content director for games, video and digital events, called the nominees list one of the most difficult and exciting the awards had compiled, citing the variety of releases. That is an awards representative’s assessment, not an independent measure of diversity. He also framed the year as one for surprises, pointing to Palworld, Helldivers 2 and Balatro.
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How did category changes shape the awards?
The 2024 categories split some broad awards into more specific ones and added a new indie distinction. The official Golden Joystick Awards category page lists:
- Best Audio became Best Audio Design and Best Soundtrack.
- Still Playing was divided into Still Playing Award – Mobile and Still Playing Award – Console & PC.
- Best Indie Game – Self Published was added for qualifying small teams and developers.
The public-voted categories also covered trailers, expansions, early-access games, indie games, console and PC games of the year, multiplayer, lead and supporting performers, storytelling, visual design, most-wanted games, gaming hardware and Studio of the Year. The official page separately identifies Streamers’ Choice, Breakthrough, Critics’ Choice and Lifetime Achievement as awards with expert-panel-selected shortlists. Those panel awards should not be confused with the public-voting categories.
Was this the final Ultimate Game of the Year shortlist?
No. The October shortlist opened voting in 19 categories, but Ultimate Game of the Year had a separate shortlist and voting window. The official event page gave November 4–8, 2024 for that round. The ceremony was scheduled for November 21, 2024, as reported by GamesRadar+. The October nominations therefore should not be read as the final list of top-prize contenders.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to read the shortlist
A nomination shows that a title was recognized in a particular award category; it is not a buying recommendation or a verdict on which game is best. For example, Steam Deck OLED appeared in Best Gaming Hardware, but that nomination alone does not establish whether the device suits a particular player or what it costs now. The shortlist records category placement and nomination counts, not comparative sales, review scores or game quality.
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