STALKER 2 Highlights the Need for a Date Change at The Game Awards

Over the last ten years, The Game Awards has become a staple event each December, typically taking place between the 3rd and 10th. The timing seems perfect at first glance, offering a grand conclusion to the year by celebrating the games released and hinting at future developments. However, for a specific group of games, which now includes STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl, this timing is less than ideal.

Unlike The Game Awards, ceremonies like the Oscars, the Grammys, and the gaming realm’s own D.I.C.E. Awards, all occur in the early months of the year. This schedule conveniently allows the previous year’s entire lineup to be considered. Unfortunately, The Game Awards doesn’t align with this timeline, meaning some games get overlooked because jury members haven’t had enough time to play them or because they fall outside the eligibility period. The conversation around changing the date of The Game Awards isn’t new; in fact, Kenneth Shepard from Kotaku has previously discussed how it might have affected titles like Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Now, with STALKER 2 joining the discussion, the argument for adjusting the date is more persuasive than ever.

Reflecting on past events, it’s evident that some standout games have slipped through the cracks. Take, for instance, Halo Infinite, which made its Xbox and PC debut in December 2021. Although it nabbed the Player’s Voice award that year, it didn’t qualify for other nominations due to its release date narrowly missing the cut for consideration. While it was technically eligible for the 2022 awards, it didn’t secure any nominations, overshadowed by hits like Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarok.

Similarly, games like Marvel’s Midnight Suns and Pentiment, which launched at the tail-end of 2021, were also left in the cold. Despite their November and early December release dates, they were overlooked in the 2022 nominations and faded into obscurity by the time 2023’s awards came around.

STALKER 2 also faces a similar dilemma. After grappling with an exceptionally challenging development period, the game finally reached players, albeit imperfect, but certainly notable. Yet its release timing means it won’t see recognition in this year’s Game Awards. While it could still shine in next year’s ceremony, heavyweights like Monster Hunter Wilds and Grand Theft Auto 6 are set to make waves, diminishing STALKER 2’s chances of being in the spotlight.

An interesting exception is Asgard’s Wrath 2, which dropped mid-December 2023 and still snagged a Best VR Game nomination this year—demonstrating that even when games miss the initial window, exceptions can occur, albeit rarely.

The unfolding December could also witness more games facing this predicament. Titles like Marvel Rivals and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are scheduled to hit the market soon, yet there’s a genuine risk they’ll be forgotten when the next Game Awards nominations roll around. Even exciting VR releases such as Skydance’s Behemoth or Alien: Rogue Incursion could find themselves in the same boat, caught in the crossfire of an intense release calendar.

In the end, perhaps a reassessment of when The Game Awards takes place is warranted, ensuring that all games, regardless of their release date, get the recognition they rightly deserve.