Astro Bot and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth lead the shortlist for the Golden Joystick Awards 2024, nudging out Helldivers 2 and Balatro for the most nominations

Have you ever disagreed with Game of the Year lists? Well, now is your chance to help shape them. GamesRadar+ is happy to confirm that voting is live for the 42nd Golden Joystick Awards – where your input will help create conversations around the best video games of the year.

Voting is now live in 19 categories, including ‘Console Game of the Year,’ ‘PC Game of the Year,’ ‘Best Multiplayer Game,’ and more. If you want to have your say, you've got until Friday, November 1, to make your opinions heard. This year, new categories have been introduced, such as 'Best Soundtrack,' 'Best Audio Design,' and 'Best Indie Game – Self Published,' as we look to celebrate a wider range of releases from 2024.

Click to vote in the Golden Joystick Awards 2024!

There's plenty to get through, but here are some highlights you might find interesting. Astro Bot and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth lead the shortlist with five nominations each, followed by Helldivers 2 with four nominations and Balatro with three nominations. Naturally, Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree made the shortlist, as well as scores of other amazing games.

If you're wondering where 'Ultimate Game of the Year' is, don't worry. That shortlist will go live on Monday, November 4, with voting in that category opening the same day. The winners for all the categories will be revealed in a star-studded award ceremony in central London and live-streamed globally on Thursday, November 21, 2024.

You can check out the full Golden Joystick Awards 2024 categories and shortlists below, and then be sure to head over to the official page to cast your votes. It's well worth doing – not only will you make your voice heard in the world's longest-running public-voted games awards show, but you'll also be able to claim a free gaming ebook created by our friends here at Future.

Golden Joystick Awards 2024 nominations

Best Storytelling

1000xResist
Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Tactical Breach Wizards

Best Multiplayer Game

Abiotic Factor
EA Sports College Football 25
Helldivers 2
Sons Of The Forest
Tekken 8
The Finals

Best Visual Design

Astro Bot
Black Myth: Wukong
Harold Halibut
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Best Indie Game

Animal Well
Arco
Balatro
Beyond Galaxyland
Conscript
Indika
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
The Plucky Squire
Ultros

Best Indie Game - Self Published

Arctic Eggs
Another Crab’s Treasure
Crow Country
Duck Detective: The Secret Salami
I Am Your Beast
Little Kitty, Big City
Riven
Tactical Breach Wizards
Tiny Glade
UFO 50

Still Playing Award - PC and Console

Apex Legends
Counter-Strike 2
EA Sports FC
Dota 2
Fortnite
GTA Online
Minecraft
Naraka: Bladepoint
Roblox
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Valorant
Warframe

Still Playing Award - Mobile

Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile
Free Fire
Honkai: Star Rail
Roblox
Marvel Snap
Monopoly Go!
Mini Motorways
PUBG: Battlegrounds
Squad Busters
Star Wars: Hunters
Subway Surfers
The Sims Mobile

Studio of the Year

11 Bit Studios
Arrowhead Game Studios
Capcom
Digital Eclipse
Team ASOBI
Visual Concepts

Best Game Expansion

Alan Wake 2 Expansion Pass
Destiny 2: The Final Shape
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla
World of Warcraft: The War Within

Best Audio Design

Astro Bot
Balatro
Robobeat
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Star Wars Outlaws
Still Wakes the Deep

Best Soundtrack

A Highland Song
Astro Bot
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Hauntii
Silent Hill 2
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

Best Lead Performer

Cody Christian as Cloud Strife in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Kaiji Tang as Ichiban Kasuga in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Humberly Gonzalez as Kay Vess in Star Wars Outlaws
Luke Roberts as James Sunderland in Silent Hill 2
Melina Juergens as Senua in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Sonequa Martin-Green as Alvilda in Asgard’s Wrath 2

Best Supporting Performer

Abbi Greenland & Helen Goalen as The Furies in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Briana White as Aerith Gainsborough in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Dawn M. Bennett as Aigis in Persona 3 Reload
Debra Wilson as Amanda Waller in Suicide Squad
Matt Berry as Herbert in Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Neve McIntosh as Suze in Still Wakes the Deep

PC Game of the Year

Animal Well
Balatro
Frostpunk 2
Satisfactory
Tactical Breach Wizards
UFO 50

Console Game of the Year

Astro Bot
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Helldivers 2
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Best Early Access Game

Enshrouded
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor
Hades 2
Manor Lords
Lethal Company
Palworld

Best Gaming Hardware

Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024)
Backbone One (2nd Gen)
LG UltraGear 32GS95UE
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super
Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra
Steam Deck OLED

Best Game Trailer

Caravan Sandwitch - Launch Trailer
Death Stranding 2 On The Beach - State of Play Announce Trailer
Helldivers 2 - “The Fight for Freedom Begins” Launch Trailer
Kingmakers - Official Announcement Trailer
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII - Narrator Reveal Trailer
The Plucky Squire - Launch Trailer

Most Wanted Game

Atomfall
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Deadlock
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Doom: The Dark Ages
Exodus
Fable
Ghost of Yotei
Grand Theft Auto VI
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Light No Fire
Mafia: The Old Country
Monster Hunter Wilds
Skate.
Slay the Spire 2
South of Midnight

Additional category winners – including 'Breakthrough Award' and 'Critics Choice Award' will be selected by a panel of journalists from brands including gamesradar.com, pcgamer.com, FGS, Edge magazine and Retro Gamer, plus Future’s trusted network of freelance writers. These winners will be revealed on the night.