The thirteenth annual Nordic Game Awards has drawn to a close at Nordic Game 2019 in Malmö, Sweden with Hazelight’s A Way Out taking home the prestigious Game of the Year award as well as Best Game Design. The event took place in the Unreal Theater’s main auditorium in the Slagthuset venue and was hosted by ex-pro gamer and esports presenter Melek Balgün.
The Nordic Games Awards ceremony was the highlight of Nordic Game 2019, which brought together developers and industry professionals from around the globe. Studios from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden competed to decide the winners across several categories including audio, art, technology and game design as well as Game of The Year.
2019 Nordic Game of the Year winner: A Way Out by Hazelight (SE)
Jury’s motivation: The story told through this year’s Best Nordic Game of the Year can only be done through video games. What happens on the screens is just a part of the experience in A Way Out, as weighty moral decisions linger between you and your “partner in crime” long after the choice is made. The end result is an experience laden with powerful metaphors for life and human values.
2019 Nordic Game of the Year nominees also included:
• Battlefield V by EA DICE (SE)
• Brawl Stars by Supercell (FI)
• Forgotton Anne by Througline Games (DK)
• Pode by Henchman & Goon (NO)
• Warhammer: Vermintide 2 by Fatshark (SE)
2019 Nordic Game of the Year – Small Screen winner: Holedown by Grapefrukt (SE)
Jury’s motivation: Based around a simple concept, Holedown turns this premise into an extremely rewarding gameplay experience, which is engrossing, relaxing and thrilling all at the same time. In fact, the game draws on the concept of black holes in more than one way, because not only is that where the action takes place it’s also certain to suck you in.
2019 Nordic Game of the Year – Small Screen nominees also included:
• Cosmic Top Secret by Klassefilm (DK)
• Fly THIS! by Northplay (DK)
• My Child: Lebensborn by Sarepta Studio & Teknopilot AS (NO)
• Spitkiss by Triple Topping Games (DK)
2019 Best Art winner: Pode by Henchman & Goon (NO)
Jury’s motivation: Dark themes or light thoughts, art elicits emotion. In Pode the beauty grows from barren geometry, brought to life with lush flora and shiny crystals. Games are an art form that demand collaboration between the player and the game. That is demonstrated perfectly in Pode as together, you create.
2019 Best Art nominees also included:
• Battlefield V by EA DICE (SE)
• Fe by Zoink (SE)
• Planet Alpha by Planet Alpha Game Studio (DK)
• Unravel 2 by Coldwood Interactive (SE)
2019 Best Game Design winner: A Way Out by Hazelight (SE)
Jury’s motivation: Truth is a matter of perspective, or at least that is what they say. A Way Out certainly sets out to prove this point, which is exactly why this game’s design is so striking. So simple in its concept, but yet elegant and surprising in execution.
2019 Best Game Design nominees also included:
• Brawl Stars by Supercell (FI)
• HITMAN 2 by IO Interactive (DK)
• Iconoclasts by Joakim Sandberg (NO)
• Pode by Henchman & Goon (NO)
• Warhammer: Vermintide 2 by Fatshark (SE)
2019 Best Technology winner: HITMAN 2 by IO Interactive (DK)
Jury’s motivation: With its vast array of variables and plethora of permutation, HITMAN 2 achieves a sense of emergence really experienced. When the player’s creativity is constantly matched by the intelligence game’s artificial agents, the technological steps made to create this virtual world become obvious. This game combines its many technological achievements in a way that is not only impressive but also fun.
2019 Best Technology nominees also included:
• Battlefield V by EA DICE (SE)
• Budget Cuts by Neat Corporation (SE)
• My Child: Lebensborn by Sarepta Studio & Teknopilot AS (NO)
• Youropa by Frecle (DK)
2019 Best Audio winner: Battlefield V by EA DICE (SE)
Jury’s motivation: Some say that audio is 50 per cent of the experience. However, the sound designers of Battlefield V were clearly not satisfied with just half of the pie. Their efforts have turned this game into a masterclass in ambience, action and attention to detail. The audio succeeds perfectly in embedding you into its diverse environments and nail-biting action gameplay.
2019 Best Audio nominees also included:
• Just Cause 4 by Avalanche Studios (SE)
• Planet Alpha by Planet Alpha Game Studio (DK)
• Shrug Island – The Meeting by Tiny Red Camel (DK)
• Warhammer: Vermintide 2 by Fatshark (SE)
2019 Best Fun for Everyone winner: Unravel 2 by Coldwood Interactive (SE)
Jury’s motivation: This game is the equivalent a beautiful sunset that you want to share with a person you love. Unravel 2 shows that, with communication and trust, you can solve all the puzzles it holds.
2019 Best Fun for Everyone nominees also included:
• Chimparty by Napnok Games (DK)
• Claybook by Second Order (FI)
• Moomin Match & Explore by Snowfall Ltd. (FI)
• Pode by Henchman & Goon (NO)
2019 Best Debut winner: Planet Alpha by Planet Alpha Game Studio (DK)
Jury’s motivation: The game brings you a cosmic adventure, far from the world we know, that makes you hold your breath. The magical views of Planet Alpha combined with its lonely score to give you goosebumps and truly take your breath away.
2019 Best Debut nominees also included:
• A Way Out by Hazelight (SE)
• Budget Cuts by Neat Corporation (SE)
• Cosmic Top Secret by Klassefilm (DK)
• Raft by Redbeet Interactive (SE)
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees of the 2019 Nordic Game Awards!
About Nordic Game Awards
Since 2006, Nordic Game has presented the Nordic Game Awards, an annual celebration of the year’s very best Nordic games in different categories, selected by a jury of games industry peers chosen in cooperation with the Nordic Game Institute.
The Nordic Game Institute consists of the following game producer associations in the region: Dataspelsbranschen (SE), Icelandic Gaming Industry (IS), Neogames (FI), Virke Produsentforeningen (NO) and Producentforeningen (DK).
The Nordic Game Awards is organised by the Nordic Game Institute in cooperation with Nordic Game Resources and the Nordic Game event team.
The organisers appoint the Nordic Game Awards jury, this year with the following members: Thomas Løfgren (DK), Jarle Hrafn Grindhaug (NO), Amanda Steén (SE) and Jaakko Kemppainen (FI).
The 2019 Nordic Game Awards sponsored by Epic Games/Unreal Engine.
About Nordic Game
Nordic Game is the leading games conference in Europe, and 2019 was its sixteenth year. Gathering thousands of games industry professionals in Malmö annually, Nordic Game is the one and only “home turf” meeting place for the highly successful game developers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Learn more about the Nordic Game conference and next year’s event in Malmö, Sweden at conf.nordicgame.com.
