With the end of the year fast approaching, Valve has opened the doors to The Steam Awards once again, letting PC gamers decide what games deserve recognition. Usually, the nomination event kicks off alongside the Steam Autumn Sale. But since that sale event was pulled forward this year, a separate Black Friday sale is live on Steam instead.
The Steam Awards nominations will last until December 1, 10AM PT, giving PC gamers on the platform a week to make their choices on a variety of categories. Instead of other award events where a jury decides on what games will take the top spots, Valve"s event relies solely on user votes, and there aren"t many restrictions.
You can nominate a game in your library that you"ve played or any game from the store, as long as it has been released this year. However, one outlier is the Labor of Love Award. This lets you nominate almost any game released on the platform at any time. Only previous year"s award winners, Warframe, GTA V, CS2, Terraria, Cyberpunk 2077, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Elden Ring, are excluded.
Here are all the nomination categories available:
Game of the Year Award
- 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 this year"s Game of the Year Award is an instant classic.
VR Game of the Year Award
- The VR Game of the Year isn"t merely masquerading as regular reality. This game improves on reality, taking advantage of the medium of VR and pushing the boundaries of the virtual realm.
Labor of Love Award
- This game has been out for a while. The team is well past the debut 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.
Best Game on Steam Deck Award
- This game was so good, you wanted to take it everywhere. So you grabbed your Steam Deck and did! Luckily, everything that made it endlessly playable at your desk got even better on the go.
Better With Friends Award
- 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, fun is awaiting those who gather friends together play this game.
Outstanding Visual Style Award
- Visual style doesn"t aspire to real-world graphical fidelity (though a noble goal in itself)… it describes a distinctive look and feel that suffuses an entire game.
Most Innovative Gameplay Award
- The designers of this game are at the front lines of creative experimentation, bringing a fresh perspective and brain-breaking surprises. This game delighted, inspired and entertained with newness never played before.
Best Game You Suck At Award
- This is the game that rewards persistence, and is not for the faint of heart. It"s the toughest game we"ve ever loved.
Best Soundtrack Award
- This unsung hero deserves to be recognized for its outstanding musical score. It"s the OST with the MOST!
Outstanding Story-Rich Game Award
- Some days, only a narrative-heavy game will hit the spot, and this one packs a wallop. It"s as gripping as any soap opera, and as well-tuned as a prestige-TV screenplay. Bravissimo -- for making us feel things!
Sit Back and Relax Award
- This game is the antidote to a busy day. It"s smooth, it"s relaxing, it lets your worries melt away. This game is your moment of zen.
As usual, Valve has Steam profile rewards, in the form of badges, for users that nominate games and do tasks like give a review for at least one of them.
Once the nomination period ends, Valve will have a final voting round during the Steam Winter Sale of 2025 in December. This vote will last until January 3, 2026, which is when the winners for each category will be announced.