Intro
The evening of Friday, 18th October 2024, was a big one for the gaming industry – the Belgian Game Awards (BGA) celebrated the best the country has to offer. Held at Brussels Expo, the event was not just about awards, as the following days also featured Gameforce, a gaming and cosplay event that took over the space. It’s quite similar to the Baltic’s Unicon, which I reviewed earlier, for those who know the vibe.
Table of Contents
History of the Event
The Belgian Game Awards (or simply BGA) trace their roots back to 2019, founded by FLEGA (Flemish Game Association) and BelgianGames with the aim of promoting and supporting the Belgian games industry. Their goal was to attract local interest in games and bring new professionals into the industry. But the event quickly grew beyond its original scope, gaining international recognition and becoming a significant event in the European gaming calendar. The awards now run both online and on-site in the wonderful city of Brussels, and it feels like the whole industry rallies to celebrate.
This Year’s Awards
This year featured 55 entries across 12 categories, plus two additional awards – Game of the Year and Audience Award. Each category highlights one winner along with two runners-up, which adds up to quite a showcase of Belgian talent. The Game Awards took place at Brussels Expo, and the stage hall was sold out, with guests and participants filling the large venue. I’ll include some photos at the end to truly capture the atmosphere of the night.
The Belgian Game Awards Jury
The BGA jury consists of ten industry professionals, each representing their own field of expertise, ensuring a diverse evaluation of all the candidates. Here’s the list of this year’s jury members:
- Lander Van der Biest: Game Journalist
- Chloé Boels: Streamer, Stream’Her Founder, TV Chronicler
- Pauline Marlière: Narrative Designer, Writer
- Karel Crombecq: Technical Lead
- Coline Sauvand: Artistic Director
- Greg Carette: RTBF iXpé Creator and Coordinator
- Emilie Thiry: Audiovisual Advisor
- Pierre Lara: Portfolio Manager and Financial Analyst
- Sophie Augurelle: Head of Gaming Department
- Allie Weis: Ethics Coordinator in International Game Development
The BGA 2024 – Categories and Winners
XR Game of the Year
- GAZZLERS by Bolt Blaster Games
- Breachers by Triangle Factory
- BAM by I-Illusions
“GAZZLERS is very intuitive and makes good use of the VR medium. It makes you want to come back for more. The art direction is remarkable, the game is well polished, and the voice acting is sublime.” – Says jury.
Best Applied Game
- Please, Touch The Artwork 2 by Thomas Waterzooi
- Kadet by Die Keure
- The Man Came Around by Pipette Inc
The winner is indeed a fantastic game, and its available on mobile devices too. Thomas Waterzooi before becoming a solo-developer was part of the Larian team.
Best Narrative
- Baldur’s Gate 3 by Larian Studios
- The Man Came Around by Pipette Inc
- Gangs of Sherwood by Appeal Studios
Quote from jury – “Baldur’s Gate 3 is in a league of its own. The game stayed true to the studio’s DNA. There is an enormous amount of effort and content put into the narrative lines. The storylines and characters became real for many players, which makes this game unique.”
Best Audio
- Baldur’s Gate 3 by Larian Studios
- Swarm Survivor by Megaloh! Games
- Verses of Enchantment by Nachtvlam
Music in games holds a special place in my heart, and BG3 is definitely a solid winner. I even have their soundtrack on my playlist
Best Visual Art
- The Man Came Around by Pipette Inc
- Waking Tides by AirshipFX
- Please, Touch The Artwork 2 by Thomas Waterzooi
Another winner created by a single person, proving that you don’t need a 400-person studio or a large budget to achieve success.
Best Game Design
- Baldur’s Gate 3 by Larian Studios
- GAZZLERS by Bolt Blaster Games
- Slapshot Rebound by Oddshot Games
A well-deserved award! Baldur’s Gate 3 game design is one of the few where I have absolutely no suggestions for improvement—everything feels just right. Plus, the replayability is immense, thanks to the well-balanced difficulty levels.
Best Multiplayer
- Breachers by Triangle Factory
- Slapshot Rebound by Oddshot Games
- Kraken Island by VEX Solutions
Jury quote: “If Counterstrike and Rainbow 6 would have a love-child in VR, Breachers would be it! With a huge player community – and some practice to get the hang of it – once you’re in, you are hooked.”
Student Game of the Year
- Nebelmer by Haute École Albert Jacquard students
- Don’t Forget by Howest DAE students
- A Postman’s Journey by LUCA School of Arts students
“Nebelmer offers an incredible experience and is so well polished for a student game. Please finish it and put it on the market!” – said Jury
Most-Anticipated Game
- Laser Dance by Studio Vanbo
- Koira by Studio Tolima
- Glommy Eyes – The Game by Fishing Cactus
Laser Dance is definitely something I want to experience firsthand. I know AR tech can be tough to bring to market, so kudos to Studio Vanbo for making this intriguing project a reality!
Best Tech Provider
- Demute
- Briganti
- Cybernetic Walrus
Jury Comment: “Demute has an impressive track record, working on projects ranging from big AAA titles to indie games. With over 20 Belgian games under their belt, they are a cornerstone of the Belgian game ecosystem.”
Changemaker of the Year
- BrainBugs
- Boxsun
- Maracas Studio
BrainBugs (not to be confused with Mindbug) is a fascinating project, particularly in how it addresses social and ethical questions. Their project “Robots, Puppies, and Aliens” delves into the complex topic of AI usage, tackling challenging issues in an engaging way. This discovery has certainly piqued my interest, and I intend to explore their work further.
Most-Promising Start-Up Studio
- Maracas Studio
- Clever Trickster
- Tovenaar
Jury Comment: “Maracas is a young studio with a very holistic view. They know where they come from, who they are, and where they are going. The studio works on a diverse portfolio of games and carefully adjusts which projects to invest in, while also giving back to the local community through their recurring Game Dev Afterwork meet-ups.”
Game of the Year and Audience Award
- Baldur’s Gate 3 by Larian Studios
As I mentioned earlier, BG3 truly deserved these two awards, bringing their total to five awards during the Belgian Game Awards 2024 event. I’m hopeful that both the game’s revenue and the overwhelming player support will enable Larian Studios to continue creating masterpieces in the coming years. With their track record of delivering rich storytelling, deep mechanics, and incredible world-building, I’m excited to see what their next project will bring—whether it’s an expansion of the BG universe or something entirely new. Whatever comes next, they’ve certainly set a high bar!
My Take on the Awards
I had absolutely no doubt that Baldur’s Gate 3 would dominate the awards. This game is one of the few titles that broke the 500-hour mark in my Steam library – and for a good reason. It’s more than just an incredible RPG; it sets the standard for what modern RPGs should aspire to be. For me, it’s also a reminder to game studios out there: classic RPGs are still loved by players, and the demand is enormous if the execution is right.
As I mentioned, the next two days are packed with content-rich events at Gameforce – a geek culture meetup for gamers, cosplayers, streamers, and fans of all things I’m passionate about. It’s shaping up to be an exciting weekend, and I can’t wait to dive in.
Belgian Game Awards 2024 Photo Gallery
As promised, here’s a small gallery from the awards ceremony to capture some of the best moments of the evening.
