The New York Game Awards is an annual award show honoring video games by nonprofit New York Videogame Critics Circle (NYVGCC). The first awards were held in 2012, honoring previous year's contributions to the video game industry and showcases the group's education work with underserved communities. New York Videogame Critics Circle's stated goals are to promote awareness of, and education for, video games writing and journalism in the New York City area.
History
The New York Videogame Critics Circle (NYVGCC) was founded in 2011 by writer Harold Goldberg, along with inaugural members Evan Narcisse, Tracey John, Russ Frushtick, and Andrew Yoon. Goldberg received more attention than expected from his book All Your Base Are Belong to Us (2011), including game and film offers. He decided to create an advocacy group in New York, a region he felt was disadvantaged due to its distance from the West Coast. The NYVGCC was created to advocate for its members, and provides classes and mentoring to underserved portions of the New York City community. Its stated goals are to promote awareness of, and education for, video games writing and journalism in the New York City area.
Beginning in 2012, the NYVGCC has hosted an annual awards show that distributes trophies to game studios, individual game contributors, and game journalists. The first awards show was held in 2012 as a collaboration with New York University's Game Center. Since then, the NYVGCC has held annual award ceremonies and has incorporated live music, trailer premieres, and hosting by members of The Daily Show writing staff. Work on the ceremonies begins in February, shortly after the preceding show, and escalates more after Labor Day in September.
In 2019, former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé joined the NYVGCC's board of directors to help Goldberg and the group continue its outreach to the DreamYard Prep School, and new initiatives such as classes in Bronxworks network of homeless shelters. In July 2023, Ryan O'Callaghan replaced Goldberg as the board's executive director, while Goldberg remains president.
Ceremonies # Date Big Apple Award for Game of the Year Host(s) Venue 1st February 2, 2012 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Logan Cunningham New York University 2nd February 5, 2013 The Walking Dead Daniel Radosh 3rd February 11, 2014 The Last of Us 4th February 16, 2015 Wolfenstein: The New Order Villain 5th February 9, 2016 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Owen Parsons 6th January 19, 2017 Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Devin Delliquanti Abron Arts Center 7th January 24, 2018 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 8th January 22, 2019 God of War SVA Theatre 9th January 21, 2020 The Outer Worlds 10th January 26, 2021 Hades Reggie Fils-Aimé rowspan="2" 11th February 1, 2022 Psychonauts 2 Reggie Fils-AiméHarold Goldberg 12th January 17, 2023 Elden Ring Reggie Fils-AiméHarold GoldbergMakeda Byfield SVA Theatre 13th January 23, 2024 Baldur's Gate 3 Reggie Fils-AiméHarold GoldbergSherri L. Smith 14th January 21, 2025 Astro Bot 15th January 18, 2026 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Reggie Fils-AiméHarold GoldbergMakeda Byfield
Award winners 1st (2012) The First Annual New York Games Awards took place on February 2, 2012, at New York University's Cantor Film Center. 21 games journalists voted on the award winners, and about 250 guests attended. Logan Cunningham, narrator of Bastion, served as the host. The livestream received roughly 300 views.
Category Winner Big Apple Award for Best Game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game Portal 2 Battery Park Award for Best Handheld Game Super Mario 3D Land Manhattan Award for Most NY-Centric Game Crysis 2 Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game Bastion A-Train Award for Best Mobile/iOS Game Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP Off-Broadway Award for Best Indie Game Bastion Statue of Liberty Award for Best Open-World Game Saints Row: The Third Great White Way Award for Best Overall Acting in a Game Portal 2 Algonquin Roundtable Award for Best Book All Your Base Are Belong to Us by Harold Goldberg Mad Men Award for Best Videogame Commercial Long Live Play – Michael
2nd (2013)
The Second Annual New York Game Awards were held at NYU-Poly on February 5, 2013. Writer Daniel Radosh of The Daily Show hosted the event, and musical acts MC Frontalot and Schäffer the Darklord performed.
Category Winner Big Apple Award for Best Videogame The Walking Dead Herman Melville Award for Best Videogame Writing The Walking Dead Battery Park Award for Best Handheld Console Game Sound Shapes Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music Journey The A Train Award for Best Mobile/iOS Game The Room The Off Broadway Award for Best Independent Game The Walking Dead The Statue of Liberty Award for Best World Dunwall from Dishonored The Best Acting Melissa Hutchison as Clementine (The Walking Dead Peter Cooper Locomotive Award for Best Game Machine PS Vita The Central Park Zoo Award for Best Kids Game Unfinished Swan
3rd (2014)
The Third Annual New York Game Awards were hosted by Daniel Radosh for the second year in a row. Folk music group Future Folk performed, and Irrational Games premiered a video about the second episode of BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea.
Category Winner Big Apple Award for Best Game The Last of Us Battery Park Award for Best Handheld Game The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Central Park Children's Zoo Award for Best Kids Game Super Mario 3D World Herman Melville Award for Best Writing The Last of Us A Train Award for Best Mobile Game Ridiculous Fishing Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game Gone Home Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game BioShock Infinite Statue of Liberty Award for Best World Grand Theft Auto V Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game Steven Ogg as Trevor (Grand Theft Auto V
4th (2015)
In 2015, the New York Game Awards switched venues and took place at Villain, an event space in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The awards show routine was written and hosted by The Daily Shows writing staff.
Category Winner Big Apple Award for Best Game Wolfenstein: The New Order Herman Melville Award for Best Writing South Park: The Stick of Truth Central Park Children's Zoo Award for Best Kids Game Mario Kart 8 Battery Park Award for Best Handheld Game Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game Threes Statue of Liberty Award for Best World Far Cry 4 Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game Shovel Knight Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake Grand Theft Auto V Ebbets Field Award for Best E-Sports Experience Super Smash Bros. Melee Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game Transistor Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game Trey Parker (South Park: The Stick of Truth
5th (2016)
In 2016, The Daily Show writer Owen Parsons took over writing and hosting the awards. Game studio The Molasses Flood premiered a trailer for The Flame in the Flood, and Wyclef Jean demoed music he contributed to rhythm game Lost in Harmony.
Category Winner Big Apple Award for Best Game of the Year The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Herman Melville Award for Best Writing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Andrew Yoon Memorial Legend Award Rockstar Games Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism Cara Ellison, Embed With Games Central Park Children's Zoo Award for Best Kids Game Super Mario Maker Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake Rare Replay Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game Rocket League A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game Lara Croft Go Battery Park Award for Best Handheld Game BoxBoy! Statue of Liberty Award for Best World The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game Viva Seifert as Hannah Smith (Her Story Ebbetts Field Award for Best Esports Team SK Telecom T1 (League of Legends
6th (2017)
The Sixth Annual New York Game Awards were held at the Abron Arts Center and featured a musical performance by all-women accordion band The Main Squeeze.
Category Winner Big Apple Award for Game of the Year Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game Mafia III Andrew Yoon Legend Award Richard Garriott Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism David Wolinsky, Don't Die Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best VR Game Superhot A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game Pokémon Go Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game Rich Sommer as Henry (Firewatch Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game Inside Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game Thumper Central Park Zoo Award for Best Kids Game Pokémon Go Statue of Liberty Award for Best World Hitman Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Battery Park Award for Best Handheld Game Severed Ebbetts Field Award for Best Esports Team Cloud9
7th (2018)
The 7th Annual New York Game Awards were hosted by Devin Delliquanti of The Daily Show. Musician Shilpa Ray performed.
Category Winner Big Apple Award for Game of the Year The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Andrew Yoon Legend Award Todd Howard Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism Yussef Cole, Unwinnable Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best VR Game Resident Evil 7: Biohazard A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game HQ Trivia Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game Melina Juergens as Senua (Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game Cuphead Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game Persona 5 Central Park Zoo Award for Best Kids Game Super Mario Odyssey Statue of Liberty Award for Best World The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake Metroid: Samus Returns Ebbetts Field Award for Best Esports Moment Plup Annihilates Armada
8th (2019)
In 2019, the New York Game Awards moved to the SVA Theatre in Manhattan. The event, hosted again by Devin Delliquanti with appearances by The Daily Shows Daniel Radosh, Josh Johnson and Kat Radley, featured a performance by guitarist and vocalist Maddie Rice, as well as trailer premieres for Inkle title Heaven's Vault and Shawn Alexander Allen's Treachery in Beatdown City. The livestream received approximately 400,000 views, a significant increase from earlier ceremonies.
Category Winner Big Apple Award for Game of the Year God of War Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game Red Dead Redemption 2 Andrew Yoon Legend Award Jade Raymond Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism Cecilia D'Anastasio, Kotaku Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best VR Game Tetris Effect A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game Florence Raging Bull Award for Best Fighting Game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game Christopher Judge as Kratos (God of War Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game Dead Cells Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game Tetris Effect Central Park Zoo Award for Best Kids Game Nintendo Labo Variety Pack Statue of Liberty Award for Best World Red Dead Redemption 2 Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake Shadow of the Colossus Captain Award for Best Rookie Esports Team Knicks Gaming
9th (2020)
The 9th Annual New York Game Awards were held on January 21, 2020. The recipient of the Andrew Yoon Legend award was the former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé.