The winners of the 2018 Stem Awards were announced on steam.tv on February 8 Tafter nominations were revealed in December. The voting process began on November 21.
There were only 8 awards given out this year, as opposed to last year's 13; however, it seems Steam opted for more traditional categories, as there was a
Game of The Year award, as opposed to last year's
The Choices Matter award.
As we previously mentioned, Player Unknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) took home the top honors, but can guess the 4 other titles they beat out? Click the Next button below to see their identities revealed, along with the winners in the other 7 categories. You can also watch the complete presentation in the YouTube video if you have the time.
The "Game of the Year" Award
Award Description: Maybe it was its immersive gameplay, or its gripping story... its well-crafted characters, immaculate design, or addictive multiplayer. Whatever the reason, the winner of 2018's Game of the Year Award is an instant classic.
Nominees:
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PUBG
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Monster Hunter World
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Kingdom Come: Deliverance
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Hitman 2
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Assassin's Creed Odyssey
The "VR Game of the Year" Award
Award Description: VR is the Wild West of game design. It's a lawless land of emerging standards where pretty much anything goes. The winner of this award is not only hugely fun, but helps chart a course for the future of the medium.
Nominees:
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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR
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VRChat
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Beat Saber
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Fallout 4 VR
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Superhot VR
The "Labor of Love" Award
Award Description: This game has been out for a while. The team is well past the first unveiling of their creative baby, but being the good parents they are, these devs continue to nurture and support their creation. This game, to this day, is still getting new content after all these years..
Nominees:
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Grand Theft Auto V
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No Man's Sky
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Path of Exile
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Dota 2
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Stardew Valley
The "Best Developer" Award
Award Description: Whether it was by listening to their fans, creating something genuinely unexpected, or just delivering on the promise of a truly great game, this studio absolutely crushed it in 2018.
Nominees:
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CD Projekt Red
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Ubisoft
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Bethesda
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Rockstar Games
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Digital Extremes LTD
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Square Enix
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Capcom
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Paradox Interactive - Official
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Bandai Namco
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Klei
The "Best Environment" Award
Award Description: All those chatty cutscenes, all those reminders that they need a health pack again. Let's face it, characters are overrated. As this winner illustrates, sometimes breathtaking scenery tells a better story than a thousand big-mouthed heroes.18.
Nominees:
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The Witcher III: Wild Hunt
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Subnautica
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Shadow of the Tomb Raider
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Far Cry 5
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Dark Souls III
The "Better With Friends" Award
Award Description: There are some games out there that just aren't the same when you play by yourself. Maybe you need to have a friend to watch your back. Maybe you need to have a friend that you can stab in their back. Either way, mirth is awaiting those who gather friends to play these games.
Nominees:
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Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Seige
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Payday 2
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Dead By Daylight
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Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
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Overcooked! 2
The "Best Alternate History" Award
Award Description: Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it. Those who remember it just fine, but prefer to reinvent it, are doomed to get this award for 2018's most entertaining tinkering with the history books.
Nominees:
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Assassin's Creed Odyssey
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Wolfenstein III
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Hearts of Iron IV
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Civilization VI
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Fallout 4
The "Most Fun With A Machine" Award
Award Description: Whether it's a car, truck, robot, or other mechanized contraption, the winner of this award fired on all cylinders, engineering an unforgettable gameplay experience made possible by machines.
Nominees:
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Rocket League
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Euro Truck Simulator 2
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Nier: Automata
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Factorio
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Space Engineers