As Starfield and Red Dead Redemption 2 claim controversial prizes, doubt is being cast over the value of The Steam Awards

Jan. 3, 2024

But what can you do about a literal popularity contest?

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Baldur’s Gate 3was the biggest winner, claiming both Game of the Year and the Outstanding Story-Rich Game Award. Elsewhere, Dave the Diver was recognised for its relaxing vibes, and Lethal Company was dubbed ‘Better With Friends’. But two other prizes have players scratching their heads.

The biggest question mark hovers overStarfield, and its receipt of the Most Innovative Gameplay Award. I’ve not played the other nominees in this category, but Bethesda’s latest is built firmly upon the bones of games the studio has been making for decades, and whatever you think of Starfield, I’m not sure that counts as innovation in the traditional sense.

At the end of the day, The Steam Awards are a pure fan vote, and it’s not hard for a popularity contest to be manipulated, especially when the eventual winners are from studios as massive (and mainstream) as Bethesda, Rockstar, and Naughty Dog. There’s little to be done about the situation that led to this year’s winners, and even if Valve were to make adjustments, what does that say to the winners that have been deemed more ‘deserving’ of their prizes?

If you want a more definitive list, here’s what we think are thebest Steam gamesyou can play right now.

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I’m GamesRadar’s news editor, working with the team to deliver breaking news from across the industry. I started my journalistic career while getting my degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick, where I also worked as Games Editor on the student newspaper, The Boar. Since then, I’ve run the news sections at PCGamesN and Kotaku UK, and also regularly contributed to PC Gamer. As you might be able to tell, PC is my platform of choice, so you can regularly find me playing League of Legends or Steam’s latest indie hit.

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