The Steam Awards are an annual user-voted award event for video games published on Valve's Steam service. Introduced in 2016, game nomination and voting periods are concurrent with Steam's annual autumn and winter holiday sales, centered around the holidays of American Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Format The Steam Awards are selected in two phases. In the first phase, Valve selects a number of categories, atypical of those used in gaming awards, and allows any registered Steam user to select one game available on Steam for that category. Valve subsequently reviews the nominations and then selects the top five games for final voting. These nominations are then presented to Steam users, giving them the opportunity to vote in each category. Following this, Valve announces the winners. Game nomination and voting periods are concurrent with Steam's annual autumn and winter holiday sales, centered around the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Awards 2016 The nomination process took place from November 23–29, 2016. The voting took place from December 22–30, 2016, with the winners announced on December 31. The awards received around 15 million nominations.
The 'Villain Most In Need Of A Hug' Award The 'I Thought This Game Was Cool Before It Won An Award' Award Portal 2 Borderlands 2 Dead by Daylight Far Cry 3 Far Cry 4 Euro Truck Simulator 2 Paladins Starbound Stardew Valley Unturned The 'Test of Time' Award The 'Just 5 More Minutes' Award The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Age of Empires II HD Sid Meier's Civilization V Team Fortress 2 Terraria Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Fallout 4 Rocket League Sid Meier's Civilization VI Terraria The 'Whoooaaaaaaa, dude!' Award The 'Game Within A Game Award' Award Grand Theft Auto V BioShock Infinite Doom Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Grand Theft Auto V Garry’s Mod The Stanley Parable Tabletop Simulator The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt The 'I'm Not Crying, There's Something In My Eye' Award The 'Best Use Of A Farm Animal' Award The Walking Dead Life Is Strange This War of Mine To the Moon Undertale Goat Simulator ARK: Survival Evolved Blood and Bacon Farming Simulator 17 Stardew Valley The 'Boom Boom' Award(community created) The 'Love/Hate Relationship' Award(community created) Doom BroForce Just Cause 3 Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes Kerbal Space Program Dark Souls III Darkest Dungeon Dota 2 Geometry Dash Super Meat Boy The 'Sit Back and Relax' Award(community created) The 'Better With Friends' Award(community created) Euro Truck Simulator 2 Abzu Cities Skylines Mini Metro Viridi Left 4 Dead 2 Don't Starve Together Gang Beasts Golf with Your Friends Magicka
2017 The nomination process took place from November 22–28, 2017. The voting took place from December 20, 2017, to January 2, 2018, with the winners announced on January 3. The 'Choices Matter' Award The 'Mom's Spaghetti' Award The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Dishonored 2 Divinity: Original Sin 2 Life Is Strange: Before the Storm The Walking Dead: A New Frontier PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Alien: Isolation The Evil Within 2 Outlast 2 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard The 'Labor of Love' Award The 'Suspension of Disbelief' Award Warframe Crusader Kings II Path of Exile Team Fortress 2 Titan Quest Rocket League Goat Simulator Saints Row IV South Park: The Fractured but Whole Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus 'The World Is Grim Enough Let's Just All Get Along' Award The 'No Apologies' Award Stardew Valley Abzû Cities: Skylines Slime Rancher To the Moon The Witcher HuniePop Gothic II Mount & Blade: Warband Rust The 'Defies Description' Award The 'Cry Havoc And Let Slip The Dogs Of War' Award Garry's Mod Antichamber Doki Doki Literature Club Pony Island The Stanley Parable Just Cause 3 Broforce Middle-earth: Shadow of War Red Faction: Guerrilla Total War: Warhammer II The 'Haunts My Dreams' Award The 'Soul of Vitruvius' Award Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Dark Souls III Dota 2 Factorio Sid Meier's Civilization VI Rise of the Tomb Raider Bayonetta Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice I am Bread Nier: Automata The 'Whoooaaaaaaa, Dude! 2.0' Award The 'Best Soundtrack' Award(community created) The Evil Within 2 Antichamber CPU Invaders Hotline Miami Luna Cuphead Crypt of the NecroDancer Nier: Automata Transistor Undertale The 'Even Better Than I Expected' Award Cuphead Assassin's Creed Origins Call of Duty: WWII Hollow Knight Sonic Mania
2018 The nomination process began on November 21, 2018. Finalists were revealed in December, with the winners announced during a live broadcast on Steam.tv on February 8, 2019. 2018 Steam Awards introduced the "Game of the Year" category. The "Game of the Year" Award The "VR Game of the Year" Award PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Assassin's Creed Odyssey Hitman 2 Kingdom Come: Deliverance Monster Hunter: World The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR Beat Saber Fallout 4 VR Superhot VR VRChat The "Labor of Love" Award The "Best Developer" Award Grand Theft Auto V Dota 2 No Man's Sky Path of Exile Stardew Valley CD Projekt Red Bandai Namco Entertainment Bethesda Capcom Digital Extremes Klei Paradox Interactive Rockstar Games Square Enix Ubisoft The "Best Environment" Award The "Better With Friends" Award The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Dark Souls III Far Cry 5 Shadow of the Tomb Raider Subnautica Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Dead by Daylight Overcooked! 2 Payday 2 The "Best Alternate History" Award The "Most Fun with a Machine" Award Assassin's Creed Odyssey Civilization VI Fallout 4 Hearts of Iron IV Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Rocket League Euro Truck Simulator 2 Factorio Nier: Automata Space Engineers
2019 The nomination process began on November 26, 2019. Finalists were revealed starting on December 11, 2019, with one category a day. Unlike previous years, eligibility for awards was restricted by release date, with only games released after November 2018 able to be nominated, except for the "Labor of Love" category. Users were able to vote from December 19–31, with the winners announced on the final day. The "Game of the Year" Award The "VR Game of the Year" AwardSekiro: Shadows Die Twice Destiny 2 Devil May Cry 5 Resident Evil 2 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen OrderBeat Saber Blade and Sorcery Borderlands 2 VR Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted Gorn The "Labor of Love" Award The "Better With Friends" AwardGrand Theft Auto V Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Dota 2 Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege WarframeDayZ Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition Dota Underlords Ring of Elysium Risk of Rain 2 The "Most Innovative Gameplay" Award The "Outstanding Story-Rich Game" AwardMy Friend Pedro Baba Is You Oxygen Not Included Planet Zoo Slay the SpireA Plague Tale: Innocence Disco Elysium Far Cry New Dawn Gears 5 GreedFall The "Best Game You Suck At" Award The "Outstanding Visual Style" AwardMortal Kombat 11 Code Vein Hunt: Showdown Mordhau Remnant: From the AshesGris Astroneer Katana Zero Subnautica: Below Zero Total War: Three Kingdoms
2020 The nomination process began on November 25, 2020, with winners announced on January 3, 2021. Nominees for each category were announced daily starting on December 17, 2020, with voting commencing between December 22 and January 3. Game of the Year Award VR Game of the YearRed Dead Redemption 2 Death Stranding Doom Eternal Fall Guys HadesHalf-Life: Alyx Phasmophobia Star Wars: Squadrons The Room VR: A Dark Matter Thief Simulator Labor of Love Award Better With FriendsCounter-Strike: Global Offensive Among Us No Man's Sky Terraria The Witcher 3: Wild HuntFall Guys Borderlands 3 Deep Rock Galactic Risk of Rain 2 Sea of Thieves Outstanding Visual Style Award Most Innovative Gameplay AwardOri and the Will of the Wisps Battlefield V Black Mesa Marvel's Avengers There Is No Game: Jam Edition 2015Death Stranding Control Noita Superliminal Teardown Best Game You Suck At Award Best Soundtrack AwardApex Legends Crusader Kings III FIFA 21 GTFO GhostrunnerDoom Eternal Halo: The Master Chief Collection Helltaker Need for Speed Heat Persona 4 Golden Outstanding Story-Rich Award Sit Back and Relax AwardRed Dead Redemption 2 Detroit: Become Human Horizon Zero Dawn Mafia: Definitive Edition Metro ExodusThe Sims 4 Factorio Microsoft Flight Simulator Satisfactory Untitled Goose Game
2021 Nominees were announced on December 22, 2021, with voting commencing until January 3, 2022. Game of the Year VR Game of the YearResident Evil Village Cyberpunk 2077 Forza Horizon 5 New World ValheimCooking Simulator VR Blair Witch VR I Expect You to Die 2: The Spy and the Liar Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond Sniper Elite VR Labor of Love Better With FriendsTerraria Apex Legends Dota 2 No Man's Sky RustIt Takes Two Back 4 Blood Crab Game Halo Infinite Valheim Outstanding Visual Style Most Innovative GameplayForza Horizon 5 Bright Memory: Infinite Little Nightmares 2 Psychonauts 2 Subnautica: Below ZeroDeathloop 12 Minutes Inscryption Loop Hero Moncage Best Game You Suck At Best SoundtrackNioh 2 Age of Empires 4 Battlefield 2042 Naraka: Bladepoint World War Z: AftermathMarvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Hinokami Chronicles Guilty Gear: Strive Nier Replicant Persona 5 Strikers Outstanding Story-Rich Game Sit Back and RelaxCyberpunk 2077 Days Gone Life Is Strange: True Colors Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Resident Evil VillageFarming Simulator 22 Dorfromantik Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator Townscaper Unpacking
2022 The nomination process took place from November 22–29, 2022. Nominees were announced on December 18, 2022, with the voting process taking place from December 22–29 while the winners were announced on January 3, 2023. Game of the Year VR Game of the Year Elden Ring Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Dying Light 2 Stay Human God of War StrayHitman 3 Among Us VR Bonelab Green Hell VR Inside the Backrooms Labor of Love Better With FriendsCyberpunk 2077 Deep Rock Galactic Dota 2 No Man's Sky Project ZomboidRaft Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Monster Hunter Rise MultiVersus Ready or Not Outstanding Visual Style Most Innovative GameplayMarvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Bendy and the Dark Revival Cult of the Lamb Kena: Bridge of Spirits ScornStray Dome Keeper Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Neon White Teardown Best Game You Suck At Best SoundtrackElden Ring FIFA 23 GTFO Total War: Warhammer III Victoria 3Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA MegaMix+ Metal: Hellsinger Persona 5 Royal Sonic Frontiers Outstanding Story-Rich Game Sit Back and RelaxGod of War A Plague Tale: Requiem Marvel's Spider-Man The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves CollectionLego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Disney Dreamlight Valley Dorfromantik PowerWash Simulator Slime Rancher 2 Best Game on the GoDeath Stranding Director's Cut Brotato Marvel Snap Vampire Survivors Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel
2023 The nomination process took place from November 21–28, 2023. Nominees were announced on December 17, with the voting process taking place from December 21, 2023 to January 2, 2024. Journalists highlighted some winners, such as Red Dead Redemption 2 (awarded for ongoing support despite the game receiving no major updates since 2020) and Starfield (awarded for innovation despite being received poorly on Steam); some suspected the votes were sarcastic or ironic, while others considered them a symptom of fan voting. Some Pizza Tower fans criticized that The Last of Us Part I—a remake of a 2013 game—won Best Soundtrack.
Game of the Year VR Game of the Year Baldur's Gate 3 EA Sports FC 24 Hogwarts Legacy Lethal Company Resident Evil 4 Labyrinthine F1 23 Ghosts of Tabor Gorilla Tag I Expect You To Die 3 Labor of Love Better With Friends Red Dead Redemption 2 Apex Legends Deep Rock Galactic Dota 2 Rust Lethal Company Party Animals