The Golden Joystick Awards 2024, celebrating gaming excellence since 1983, unveiled its 42nd edition's nominees across numerous categories, notably introducing a dedicated bracket for self-developed, self-published indie games. The awards ceremony, scheduled for November 21st, 2024, will honor games released between November 11th, 2023, and October 4th, 2024. This year showcases a significant presence of indie titles, with games like Balatro and Lorelei and the Laser Eyes receiving multiple nominations.

A total of 19 categories comprise the awards, highlighting the burgeoning indie game scene. The newly introduced "Best Indie Game - Self Published" category specifically recognizes smaller teams handling both development and publishing, acknowledging the expanding definition of "indie" and supporting developers lacking the backing of larger publishers.

The nominees span various categories, including Best Soundtrack, Best Audio Design, Best Game Trailer, Best Game Expansion, Best Early Access Game, Still Playing Awards (Mobile and Console/PC), Best Indie Game, Best Indie Game - Self Published, Console Game of the Year, Best Multiplayer Game, Best Lead Performer, Best Supporting Performer, Best Storytelling, Best Visual Design, Most Wanted Game, Best Gaming Hardware, Studio of the Year, and PC Game of the Year. A complete list of nominees for each category is provided below [Note: The list of nominees would be inserted here from the original text].

Fan voting is now open on the official website, with the judging panel including prominent gaming publications like PC Gamer, GamesRadar, and Edge magazine. The voting period runs from November 4th to 8th, 2024, with a later voting period for the Ultimate Game of the Year category. Games released between October 4th and November 21st, 2024, remain eligible for Best Performance and Ultimate Game of the Year. Voters receive a free ebook as a bonus.

A controversy has erupted regarding the omission of several fan-favorite titles, including Metaphor: ReFantazio, Space Marine 2, and particularly Black Myth: Wukong, from the Game of the Year nominations. The Golden Joystick Awards organization clarified that the Ultimate Game of the Year (UGOTY) shortlist, which will include these contenders, is yet to be released on November 4th. The organization addressed the criticism on social media, emphasizing that the GOTY shortlist is not yet complete.