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The lovable robot just couldn't stop winning. At last night's New York Game Awards, Astro Bot pulled off what nobody saw coming – sweeping three major categories including the coveted Game of the Year. As someone who's covered gaming awards for years, you rarely see a family-friendly platformer pull off this kind of dominant performance.
But that's exactly what happened when Astro Bot claimed not just Game of the Year, but also Best Music and Best Kids Game. The wins felt especially meaningful given the heavy competition it faced from titans like Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
Speaking of Indiana Jones, Troy Baker's performance as the legendary archaeologist didn't go unnoticed. His take on the character earned him Best Acting in a Game, adding another prestigious voice acting award to his already impressive collection.
The night also belonged to FromSoftware's Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, which proved that DLC can be just as compelling as full releases. The massive expansion claimed both Best World and Best DLC, with players and critics alike praising how it managed to make The Lands Between feel fresh and mysterious all over again.
In the indie scene, UFO 50's win for Best Indie Game showed that creativity and ambition still rule the day. The collection of 50 original games captured hearts with its perfect blend of nostalgia and innovation.
One of the night's most touching moments came when Sam Lake took the stage to accept the Andrew Yoon Legend Award. The Remedy Entertainment creative director's journey from Max Payne to Alan Wake has helped reshape video game storytelling, making him a fitting recipient for this prestigious honor.
The journalism category brought its own surprise, with Simone De Rochefort and Clayton Ashley taking home the Knickerbocker Award for their groundbreaking work on The Great Game: The Making of Spycraft. Their win follows in the footsteps of IGN's own Rebekah Valentine, who claimed the same award in 2022.
Here's the complete list of winners and nominees:
Big Apple Award for Best Game of the Year
WINNER: Astro Bot
Balatro
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
UFO 50
1000xResist
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Metaphor: ReFantazio
EA Sports College Football 25
Andrew Yoon Legend Award Recipient
WINNER: Sam Lake
Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game
WINNER: Astro Bot
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Arco
Black Myth Wukong
1000xResist
Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake
WINNER: Silent Hill 2
Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Age of Mythology: Retold
Persona 3: Reload
Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game
WINNER: Metaphor: ReFantazio
Harold Halibut
1000xResist
Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Phoenix Springs
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best AR/VR Game
WINNER: Batman: Arkham Shadow
Thrasher
Umurangi Generation VR
Skydance's Behemoth
Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire
Shattered
Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game
WINNER: UFO 50
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Balatro
I Am Your Beast
1000xResist
Thank Goodness You're Here!
Neva
A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game
WINNER: Zenless Zone Zero
Rabbids: Legends of the Multiverse
Wuthering Waves
Ex Astris
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket
Statue of Liberty Award for Best World
WINNER: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
Astro Bot
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 Heart of Chornobyl
Central Park Children's Zoo Award for Best Kids Game
WINNER: Astro Bot
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Little Kitty, Big City
Sonic X Shadow Generations
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game
WINNER: Troy Baker as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Abubakar Salim as Zau, Zuberi and Griot Echo in Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
John Eric Bentley as Barret in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Hannah Telle as Max Caulfield in Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Melina Juergens as Senua in Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2
Humberly González as Kay in Star Wars Outlaws
Chumley's Speakeasy Award for Best Hidden Gem
WINNER: Mouthwashing
Ultros
Vampire Therapist
Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story
Mars After Midnight
Starstruck: Hands of Time
NYC GWB Award for Best DLC
WINNER: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Alan Wake II: Night Springs and The Lake House
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown – Mask of Darkness
Remnant 2: The Dark Horizon
Splatoon 3: Side Order
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism
WINNER: Simone De Rochefort & Clayton Ashley
Duncan Fyfe
Alexis Ong
Grant Stoner
Mason Andrew Hamberlin
Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
