Today they announced the nominees of The Game Awards, and I noticed that MSFS 2024 was not in there. Initially, I wasn't surprised. Obviously, it's out too late to be considered, right?

Nope. Wrong. Apparently, games are eligible as long as they are released before November 22. MSFS 2024 was eligible this year and will not be eligible next year (because next year, it'll be games from November 23 onward). 

MSFS is a big AAA game, and it's really weird that it has been left out, albeit I know all too well why.

First of all, award shows and most outlets weirdly bunch together simulation games and strategy games in the same award. The result is that this year, the "best simulation/strategy game" award category doesn't have a single simulator nominated. They're all strategy games. 

Funnily, one simulator has been nominated... F1 24... and it's in the sports/racing games category because according to some weirdos, racing simulators are not simulators, but more akin to sports games.

Ultimately, the obvious elephant in the room is that the jury is made entirely of generalist gaming journalists and influencers, and they don't really play simulators as much as other genres. They don't generate as much of that controversy that they make their money on. At least not the kind of controversy that generates traffic. 

Mind you, the strategy category doesn't fare that much better. They slapped into it Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess which got an 80 on Metacritic (not bad, but not exceptional), which tells me they were scratching the bottom of the barrel, despite the fact that there were plenty of great strategy games this year that they simply did not know of, so they weren't considered. 

Of course, simulators should have their own category, but I suppose they're too busy announcing three redundant awards for esports and one for "best influencer" to spare some time for our genre. 🤔

Edited November 19, 20241 yr by Abriael

The word "influencer" makes me see bugs! Enough said. 

The word "influencer" indicates to me that the world has [surely] gone mad. Are we all such mental lightweights - so totally incapable of making our own decisions?

All I see is wannabe "experts" that just want to milk the cash cow of the gullible.

To stay on-topic, though - I'm amazed that MSFS 2024 didn't make it - in *any* category. BUT ... who needs self-congratulatory awards when sales figures speak for themselves. Based only on the videos I've seen, I'm sure it's going to be a HUGE success.

Edited November 19, 20241 yr by Adamski_NZ

Maybe at the next Simulator Awards 😉 

 

Not in the slightest bit surprised. Does seem odd not having  separate Sim & Strategy categories. 

That said I care about the awards slightly less than I care about what the Pope had for breakfast.

G

Not great, I agree from the awards perspective.
 

But what is interesting is that MSFS2024 is getting mainstream coverage in a way that no other flight sim has gotten before. I’ve seen Gamespot, IGN, PC Gamer and basically all other big publications highlight it.

And regardless of the awards, that is a big win for the industry. Traditionalists may grumble but as the saying goes - rising tide lifts all ships. Exposure is great for the hobby in general.

57 minutes ago, Adamski_NZ said:

The word "influencer" indicates to me that the world has [surely] gone mad. Are we all such mental lightweights - so totally incapable of making our own decisions?

When you see "influencer", think "spokesperson".

Remember OJ Simpson's commercials for Hertz? Same thing, just a different medium.

(Well, maybe you don't remember them - guessing from your username, you're not in the US, just like me. Just trying to use an example that many will be familiar with.)

If that is true, I find it bizarre that they can consider games which have yet to be released in the running for game awards considering the fact that no-one has played it yet - not even reviewers! As such, how can they possibly award something for which they have no knowledge of. I would be very surprised if 2024 doesn't make an appearance at the next game awards. I appreciate why it's not included in this one, but if it's left out of the next one I think they have some serious flaws in their selection process.

58 minutes ago, Gazzareth said:

That said I care about the awards slightly less than I care about what the Pope had for breakfast.

G

The Vatican released a game on Steam last week: Papa's Got a Brand New Bag.

 

1 hour ago, tronied said:

If that is true, I find it bizarre that they can consider games which have yet to be released in the running for game awards considering the fact that no-one has played it yet - not even reviewers! As such, how can they possibly award something for which they have no knowledge of.

The awards will happen after November 22, so after the games are released. It's just the nominations that are happening at this point. But yes, ideally you'd want to wait for games to release before even nominating anything.

Personally, though, I feel that awards like these don't matter a whole lot. They're as much about the organization doing the awarding as they are about the games that get the awards.

Isn't MSFS a simulation, not a game, as we've been corrected many times on this forum? If it were nominated, it would officially classify it a -'Game'- !

The horror!

🫣

All of this doesn't make much difference anyway.  It will sell well enough.

I'm pretty sure it's just past the cut-off for nominations, since you'll note these nominations were announced the day before the sim even comes out lol.

Abject stupidities about "game vs sim" aside, awards like this don't get nominated until the studio applies for the award (and pays an entry fee). Do we even know if MS applied?

Who cares