The Game Critics Awards were a set of annual awards held after the E3 video game conference since 1998. The awards were given to products displayed at E3 with the title Best of E3 of their category. The 21st Annual Game Critics Awards was showcased for the final time in 2019, four years before E3 was permanently discontinued.
Format
The nominees and winners of the awards were chosen by individual judges representing 35 (as of 2011) major North American media outlets. The awards were given independently of the Expo's organizers.
Categories
Best of Show
Best Original Game
Best Console Game
Best PC Game
Best Handheld Game
Best Peripheral/Hardware
Best Action Game
- 2019: Doom Eternal (for PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia, and Xbox One)
- 2018: Anthem (for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One)
- 2017: ' (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2016: Battlefield 1 (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2015: Star Wars Battlefront (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2014: Evolve (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2013: Titanfall (for PC, Xbox 360, and Xbox One)
- 2012: Halo 4 (for Xbox 360)
- 2011: Battlefield 3 (for PC)
- 2010: Rage (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2009: ' (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2008: Gears of War 2 (for Xbox 360)
- 2007: ' (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2006: Gears of War (for Xbox 360)
- 2005: F.E.A.R. (for PC)
- 2004: Halo 2 (for Xbox)
- 2003: Half-Life 2 (for PC)
- 2002: Doom 3 (for PC)
- 2001: ' (for GameCube)
- 2000: ' (for PC)
- 1999: Team Fortress 2 (for PC)
- 1998: Half-Life (for PC)
Best Action/Adventure Game
- 2019: ' (for PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia, and Xbox One)
- 2018: Spider-Man (for PlayStation 4)
- 2017: Super Mario Odyssey (for Switch)
- 2016: ' (for Wii U and Switch)
- 2015: ' (for PlayStation 4)
- 2014: ' (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2013: Watch Dogs (for PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Wii U)
- 2012: The Last of Us (for PlayStation 3)
- 2011: BioShock Infinite (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2010: Portal 2 (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2009: ' (for PlayStation 3)
- 2008: Dead Space (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2007: BioShock (for Xbox 360)
- 2006: AssassinâÂÂs Creed (for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360)
- 2005: ' (for GameCube)
- 2004: ' (for PC)
- 2003: ' (for multiple systems)
- 2002: Tom ClancyâÂÂs Splinter Cell (for multiple systems)
- 2001: ' (for PlayStation 2)
- 2000: Escape from Monkey Island (for PC)
- 1999: Oni (for PC)
- 1998: Grim Fandango (for PC)
Best Role Playing Game
- 2019: Final Fantasy VII Remake (for PlayStation 4)
- 2018: Kingdom Hearts III (for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One)
- 2017: ' (for PC and PlayStation 4)
- 2016: Final Fantasy XV (for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One)
- 2015: Fallout 4 (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2014: ' (for PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One)
- 2013: The Elder Scrolls Online (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2012: ' (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2011: ' (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2010: ' (for PC)
- 2009: Mass Effect 2 (for PC and Xbox 360)
- 2008: Fallout 3 (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2007: Mass Effect (for Xbox 360)
- 2006: Mass Effect (for Xbox 360)
- 2005: ' (for PC and Xbox 360)
- 2004: Jade Empire (for Xbox)
- 2003: Fable (for Xbox)
- 2002: Neverwinter Nights (for PC)
- 2001: Neverwinter Nights (for PC)
- 2000: Neverwinter Nights (for PC)
- 1999: ' (for PC)
- 1998: Baldur's Gate (for PC)
Best Racing Game
- 2019: Crash Team Racing (for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One)
- 2018: Forza Horizon 4 (for PC and Xbox One)
- 2017: Forza Motorsport 7 (for PC and Xbox One)
- 2016: Forza Horizon 3 (for PC and Xbox One)
- 2015: Need for Speed (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2014: The Crew (for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox 360)
- 2013: Need for Speed Rivals (for PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox)
- 2012: ' (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2011: Forza Motorsport 4 (for Xbox 360)
- 2010: ' (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2009: Split/Second (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2008: Pure (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2007: Burnout Paradise (for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360)
- 2006: Excite Truck (for Wii)
- 2005: Burnout Revenge (for PlayStation 2 and Xbox)
- 2004: ' (for PlayStation 2 and Xbox)
- 2003: Gran Turismo 4 (for PlayStation 2)
- 2002: Auto Modellista (for PlayStation 2)
- 2001: ' (for PlayStation 2)
- 2000: Need For Speed: Motor City (for PC)
- 1999: Driver (for PC and PlayStation)
- 1998: ' (for PC and PlayStation)
Best Sports Game
- 2019: eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 (for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One)
- 2018: FIFA 19 (for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One)
- 2017: FIFA 18 (for PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One)
- 2016: Steep (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2015: FIFA 16 (for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, iOS, and Android)
- 2014: NHL 15 (for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One)
- 2013: NHL 14 (for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360)
- 2012: FIFA Soccer 13 (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2011: FIFA Soccer 12 (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2010: NBA Jam (for Wii)
- 2009: Fight Night Round 4 (for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360)
- 2008: Madden NFL 09 (for multiple systems)
- 2007: Madden NFL 08 (for multiple systems)
- 2006: Wii Sports (for Wii)
- 2005: Madden NFL 06 (for multiple systems)
- 2004: Madden NFL 2005 (for multiple systems)
- 2003: Tony Hawk's Underground (for multiple systems)
- 2002: NFL 2K3 (for GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox)
- 2001: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (for PlayStation 2)
- 2000: Madden NFL 2001 (for PlayStation 2)
- 1999: NFL 2K (for Dreamcast)
- 1998: Madden NFL 99 (for PC, Nintendo 64, and PlayStation)
Best Fighting Game
Best Strategy Game
(Real-Time or Turn-Based)
Best Social/Casual/Puzzle/Family Game
- 2019: Luigi's Mansion 3 (for Switch)
- 2018: Overcooked 2 (for PlayStation 4, Switch and Xbox One)
- 2017: Hidden Agenda (for PlayStation 4)
- 2016: ' (for PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Wii U)
- 2015: Super Mario Maker (for Wii U)
- 2014: Mario Maker (for Wii U)
- 2013: ' (for Xbox 360 and Xbox One)
- 2012: Dance Central 3 (for Xbox 360)
- 2011: Sound Shapes (for PlayStation Vita)
- 2010: Rock Band 3 (for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii)
- 2009: DJ Hero (for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii)
- 2008: LittleBigPlanet (for PlayStation 3)
- 2007: Rock Band (for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360)
- 2006: Guitar Hero II (for PlayStation 2)
- 2005: We Love Katamari (for PlayStation 2)
- 2004: Donkey Kong Jungle Beat (for GameCube)
- 2003: The EyeToy Games (for PlayStation 2)
- 2002: Super Monkey Ball 2 (for GameCube)
- 2001: Pikmin (for GameCube)
- 2000: Samba de Amigo (for Dreamcast)
- 1999: Um Jammer Lammy (for PlayStation)
- 1998: Sentinel Returns
Best Online Multiplayer
- 2019: ' (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2018: Battlefield V (for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One)
- 2017: Star Wars Battlefront II (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2016: Titanfall 2 (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2015: Star Wars Battlefront (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2014: Evolve (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2013: Titanfall (for PC, Xbox 360 and Xbox One)
- 2012: Halo 4 (for Xbox 360)
- 2011: Battlefield 3 (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2010: ' (for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360)
- 2009: Left 4 Dead 2 (for PC and Xbox 360)
- 2008: Left 4 Dead (for PC and Xbox 360)
- 2007: Halo 3 (for Xbox 360)
- 2006: ' (for PC)
- 2005: Battlefield 2 (for PC)
- 2004: Halo 2 (for Xbox)
- 2003: City of Heroes (for PC)
- 2002: Star Wars Galaxies (for PC) [2]
- 2001: Star Wars Galaxies (for PC) [1]
- 2000: Neverwinter Nights (for PC)
- 1999: Team Fortress 2 (for PC)
- 1998: EverQuest
Best Independent Game
Best VR/AR Game
Best Ongoing Game
- 2019: Destiny 2 (for PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia, and Xbox One)
- 2018: Fortnite (for iOS, Mac, PC, PlayStation 4, Switch and Xbox One)
Special Commendation for Graphics, Sound or Innovation
- 2019: (G) Cyberpunk 2077 (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2018: (G) Cyberpunk 2077 (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2018: (G) The Last of Us Part II (for PlayStation 4)
- 2018: (G) Ghost of Tsushima (for PlayStation 4)
- 2018: (S) The Last of Us Part II (for PlayStation 4)
- 2018: (I) Cyberpunk 2077 (for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
- 2016: (G) God of War (for PlayStation 4)
- 2015: (G) ' (for PlayStation 4)
- 2014: (I) No Man's Sky (for PlayStation 4)
- 2012: (G) Star Wars 1313 (for TBA)
- 2012: (G) Watch Dogs (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2012: (S) The Last of Us (for PlayStation 3)
- 2012: (I) Watch Dogs (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2010: (G) Rage (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360)
- 2007: (G) Killzone 2 (for PlayStation 3)
- 2005: (G) Killzone (for PlayStation 3)
- 2004: (G) ' (for PC)
- 2003: (G) Half-Life 2 (for PC)
- 2002: (S) Doom 3 (for PC)
- 2001: (S) ' (for PC)
- 2000: (G) ' (for PlayStation and GameCube)
- 1999: (G) Freelancer (for PC)
- 1999: (+S) Outcast (for PC)
- 1999: (+S) Um Jammer Lammy (for PlayStation)
Discontinued categories
Best Downloadable Game
Best Motion Simulation Game
Best Simulation Game
(Combat, Flight, Non-Combat)
Best Platformer
Most Promising New Game
Best Booth
Best Party
References