With The Game Awards 2024 steadily approaching, players will now be casting their votes on this year's nominations for various awards. The Game Awards is always a time of great excitement, with it arguably being the highest-profile awards event for gaming. Many players will be curious to see which game will take home the coveted Game Of The Year award, representing the best that this year in gaming had to offer. However, a recent policy change to the awards has allowed for one title to be nominated for the grand prize, causing controversy surrounding this year's ceremony.

It's no secret that DLCs, expansion packs, and ongoing games have become commonplace in the gaming industry, and for good reason. The addition of DLC can help to elevate an already stellar experience offered by the base game, while renewing interest in those titles. The way DLCs and expansions add to these gaming experiences is certainly deserving of recognition. However, their eligibility for GOTY is perhaps a step too far, as this would result in more complete and original titles not getting the recognition they deserve.

Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Has A GOTY Nomination

The News Has Not Gone Down Too Well With Fans

Shadow of the Erdtree, an expansion to 2022's Elden Ring, was nominated for GOTY at this year's The Game Awards. Shadow of the Erdtree serves as the only expansion in the category, with all other entries being full new releases from this year. The nominations come following an announcement on DLCs and expansions are eligible for key categories, while also including remakes and remasters in that list, helping to justify the inclusion of titles such as Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

It's safe to say that the news of Shadow of the Erdtree's GOTY nomination has not gone down too well, resulting in a furious debate online. While many players welcome the inclusion due to Shadow of the Erdtree's critical reception, others have questioned the expansion's eligibility as it doesn't make up a full standalone title. Moreover, the policy change on DLC eligibility was revealed just a few days prior to the nominations being announced, calling into question the potential favoritism being shown towards Shadow of the Erdtree in particular.

DLC Shouldn't Be Up For GOTY At The Game Awards

The Inclusion Prevents Original Titles From Gaining Any Recognition

Shadow of the Erdtree's GOTY nomination is almost definitely a result of the DLC's reception. The expansion's release back in June was met with universal critical acclaim that reached similar heights to Elden Ring's original release, which also took home the grand prize at The Game Awards 2022. Nevertheless, the critical acclaim does not change the fact that Shadow of the Erdtree is nothing more than an expansion to an already complete title.

The coveted GOTY prize is often representative of the exciting, original experiences that are actively pushing the industry forward.

The eligibility given to DLCs and expansions feels unjustified when their entire existence is reliant on the base game to begin with. In the case of Shadow of the Erdtree, the player is required to make significant progress in Elden Ring first before accessing the new DLC content. The coveted GOTY prize is often representative of the exciting, original experiences that are actively pushing the industry forward. DLCs and expansions hardly contribute to this in comparison, as the experiences they offer are based on pre-established titles.

GOTY's supposed representation of the future of gaming makes the exclusion of original titles in the category sting that much more. The inclusion of DLCs and expansions will end up preventing major new releases from getting the recognition they deserve. In an industry that is already hugely competitive, developers will have to work even harder in order for their original titles to break through and gain major nominations to prevent DLCs or expansions taking their place, further damaging GOTY being a symbol for the future of gaming.

TGA Needs A New DLC Category For Future Awards

A New Category Helps Ensure All Titles Get Recognition

While a GOTY nomination is hard to justify, DLCs and expansions deserve recognition during events like The Game Awards. Their reliance on a base game doesn't change how DLC can still help to make existing titles even better. Shadow of the Erdtree's critical reception is proof of this, with the expansion being deemed a worthy addition to a game that is often considered to be a masterpiece in its own right.

With that in mind, a new category for The Game Awards that focuses on DLC and expansions would fit perfectly into the ceremony. The Game Awards already have a category for ongoing games, making the lack of one for DLCs even more confusing. An award for DLCs would be the best of both worlds, giving expansions a time to shine while ensuring entirely new experiences don't get lost in the process.

It's unclear whether the new policy on DLCs and expansions will continue for future ceremonies. That being said, careful consideration should be given to ensure more fair representation is given to all games released in a certain year. A new award for DLCs would ensure that these additions are recognized while ensuring new games are given the spotlight they deserve at The Game Awards.

Sources: The Game Awards, The Game Awards/Twitter