Game Awards 2024: No Blowing Out to Blizzard
Geoff Keighley, the mastermind behind The Game Awards, sent out a stern tweet on Saturday (Dec 4) with a double‑edged message:
“The Game Awards is a time of celebration for this industry, the biggest form of entertainment in the world. There is no place for abuse, harassment, or predatory practices in any company or community.”
He followed it up with a bold announcement: Activision Blizzard will not participate beyond the nominations it has received. That one‑liner seems to be a polite (or perhaps raw) courtesy to keep the focus away from the controversies swirling around their CEO, Bobby Kotick.
What’s on the nomination list?
- Best Esports – Call of Duty is in the running (though who’s actually going to win? The hype is real).
- Best Ongoing Game – Warzone also got a nod. Two chances, no trailer, no teaser. That’s the Blizzard banner for this year.
So if you’re hoping for a sneak peek of Overwatch 2 or Diablo 4, you’ll be disappointed. The announcement basically says, “We’re not watching your new releases; we’re watching the big picture.”
Keighley’s Rallying Cry
Beyond the no‑Blizzard tie‑up, Keighley turned the spotlight on the gaming community as a force for positive change. He said:
“It’s a big platform which can accelerate and inspire change.” And he added that everyone—developers, publishers, and fans—must keep the standards high.
In short, he wants to celebrate the games themselves and the talented people who make them, not the corporate drama.
Key Takeaways
- Activision Blizzard pulled out of active involvement at the 2024 awards.
- Their only two nominations are for Call of Duty and Warzone.
- No new content will be shown for Overwatch 2 or Diablo 4.
- Keighley stresses the responsibility of the whole gaming ecosystem to uphold integrity.
- The awards keep the focus on incredible games & the developers behind them.
For the full statement from Geoff Keighley, just follow the link in the original article.
