Steam’s yearly awards show took place earlier today, highlighting some of the most popular games on the platform. Every year, fans are asked to vote for their favorite games in a number of different categories, ranging from Game of the Year to best handheld. This year’s award winners are raising some eyebrows though, specifically due toRed Dead Redemption 2somehow taking home the award for Labor of Love.
According to the description, the Labor of Love award is given to the developers of games who have “continued to nurture and support their creation” for a number of years after release. Finalists included in the vote alongside Red Dead Redemption 2 were titles likeDota 2,Apex Legends,Rust, andDeep Rock Galactic, all of which have been supported steadily since launch.
Understandably, you’re probably quite confused as to how Red Dead Redemption 2, a game that hasn’t received a major update in years, has come away with the award. Well, it seems as though the Red Dead Redemption community at large may have been voting for the title as a joke, asnot even the Red Dead Online subreddit can believe it’s actually won.
100% had to be a joke. RDO has been treated as Rockstar’s red-headed stepchild for ages.
You could potentially understand one group of fans rigging a public vote in their favor for a joke, but Red Dead Redemption 2’s baffling win isn’t the only thing raising eyebrows.Starfieldis a pretty decent game for the most part , though many are completely baffled as to how a fairly standard Bethesda RPG has managed to come away with the award for Most Innovative Gameplay.
It becomes a little bit clearer when you take a look at the finalists Starfield was up against, with indies like Shadows of Doubt, Contraband Police, and Your Only Move Is Hustle all losing finalists. Starfield is obviously the most well-known out of those titles and will have been the most-played, so this category has more than likely boiled down to a popularity contest more than anything.
Thankfully, there were some sensible decisions to ensure the entire awards ceremony wasn’t a complete joke. Baldur’s Gate 3 won yet another well-deserved Game of the Year trophy for the pile, with Lethal Company and Dave the Diver picking up the Better With Friends and Sit Back And Relax awards respectively. The less said about the rest of the winners, the better.
