Last week we announced a comprehensive list of nominees for our 2016 Game of the Year Awards. There were over 20 categories selected with approximately 4-8 different games and experiences nominated for each category. That all adds up to a ton of amazing content we saw in VR’s first full year of consumer adoption.
We teamed up with the prolific Christopher Sabat (the voice of Piccolo, Yamcha, and of course Vegeta in Dragon Ball Z as well as Roronoa Zoro in One Piece) to record a video announcing each winner in every category. In my opinion, getting a glimpse of gameplay combined with that epic voice is absolutely the best way to experience our award selections. Check it out:
Since there were so many categories to decide and so many voices to hear, we actually had a true deliberation process in real-time using AltspaceVR. That means for three hours I, the Games Editor at UploadVR, Staff Writer Joe Durbin, Staff Writer Jamie Feltham, and Senior Editor Ian Hamilton, all discussed the nominees and who we thought deserved to win each and every category. That entire process was recorded, so get your popcorn ready.
We know it is three hours long, at the very least the first 25 or so minutes are pretty funny. The whole thing is embedded below.
We also have the third, and quickest, way to digest our selections and that’s in plain old text format.
Check them out below!
Best Music/Sound Design Winner: Thumper
Bound
EVE: Valkyrie
The Gallery: Episode 1 – Call of the Starseed
Thumper
Until Dawn: Rush of Blood
Best Art Direction Winner: Bound
ADR1FT
Bound
The Climb
Obduction
Robinson: The Journey
SUPERHOT VR
Thumper
Best Online Game Winner: Werewolves Within
Arizona Sunshine
Battlezone
Dead and Buried
EVE: Valkyrie
Onward
RIGS
The Unspoken
Werewolves Within
Best Narrative Winner: The Gallery: Episode 1 – Call of the Starseed
The Assembly
Edge of Nowhere
The Gallery: Episode 1 – Call of the Starseed
Obduction
Robinson: The Journey
Best Immersive Film Winner: KÀ The Battle Within
Ctrl
Gnomes and Goblins
Henry
KÀ The Battle Within
Best Productivity App Winner: Bigscreen
Bigscreen
Envelop
LightVR
Virtual Desktop
Best Creativity App Winner: Tilt Brush
Gravity Sketch
Medium
Quill
Tilt Brush
Best Racing Game Winner: DiRT Rally
Blaze Rush
DiRT Rally
Driveclub VR
Project CARS
Redout
Best Horror Game Winner – A Chair in a Room: Greenwater
A Chair in a Room: Greenwater
The Brookhaven Experiment
Dark Days
Sisters
Until Dawn: Rush of Blood
Best Action/Adventure Game Winner: Vanishing Realms
Chronos
Edge of Nowhere
SUPERHOT VR
Vanishing Realms
Windlands
Best Puzzle Game Winner: SUPERHOT VR
Fly to KUMA
Hitman GO: VR Edition
Neverout
Please, Don’t Touch Anything
SUPERHOT VR
Water Bears VR
Best Shooter Winner: Onward
Arizona Sunshine
Damaged Core
Onward
Raw Data
RIGS
Space Pirate Trainer
Most Surprising New Game Winner: Onward
The Brookhaven Experiment
Eagle Flight
Onward
Space Pirate Trainer
Thumper
The Unspoken
Vanishing Realms
Best Mobile VR Game Winner: Minecraft
Dark Days
End Space
Minecraft
Neverout
Sisters
Tactera
Wands
Best Rift Game Winner: The Unspoken
Arizona Sunshine
Chronos
The Climb
Damaged Core
Edge of Nowhere
Lucky’s Tale
SUPERHOT VR
The Unspoken
Best Vive Game Winner: Arizona Sunshine
Arizona Sunshine
The Brookhaven Experiment
The Gallery: Call of the Starseed
Job Simulator
The Lab
Onward
Raw Data
Vanishing Realms
Best PS VR Game Winner: RIGS
Battlezone
Bound
How We Soar
Job Simulator
Rez Infinite
RIGS
Thumper
Until Dawn: Rush of Blood
Best Social Variety Experience Winner: AltspaceVR
AltspaceVR
Bigscreen
Destinations
High Fidelity
Rec Room
Toybox
Most Innovative VR Game Winner: Fantastic Contraption
Accounting
Damaged Core
Eagle Flight
Fantastic Contraption
The Gallery: Episode 1 – Call of the Starseed
Job Simulator
The Lab
SUPERHOT VR
Breakout VR Game Studio Winner: Owlchemy Labs
CCP Games (EVE: Valkyrie, Gunjack, Project Arena)
Cloudhead Games (The Gallery)
High Voltage (Damaged Core, Dragon Front)
Insomniac (Edge of Nowhere, The Unspoken)
Owlchemy Labs (Job Simulator, Rick and Morty)
Playful Corp (Lucky’s Tale, Wonderland)
Squanchtendo (Accounting)
Survios (Raw Data)
Best VR Game of the Year Winner: Arizona Sunshine
Arizona Sunshine
Damaged Core
The Gallery: Episode 1 – Call of the Starseed
Job Simulator
Onward
Rez Infinite
SUPERHOT VR
The Unspoken
Most Anticipated Upcoming VR Game of 2017 Winner: Star Trek – Bridge Crew
Arktika.1
Fallout 4 VR
Farpoint
Lone Echo
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Rock Band VR
Star Trek: Bridge Crew
Wilson’s Heart
What are your picks for some of the best games and experiences this year? Did your favorite not win what you thought it would? Let us know in the comments below!
