What just happened? The Golden Joystick Awards took place yesterday, where some of this year's best games were honored. We likewise saw the winners of two very interesting categories revealed: the greatest ever piece of hardware and game of all fourth dimension. It should come up as little surprise to learn that the former was won by the PC, and none other than Gabe Newell himself accepted the honor. In the instance of the latter, Dark Souls was declared the Ultimate Game of All Time.

This year's Aureate Joystick Awards—the world's longest-running game awards anniversary, having started in 1983—celebrated '50 years of gaming' with two greatest-of-all-time categories. Voters for the hardware section had to option from a listing that included the best-selling habitation estimator of all time, the Commodore 64, and the most popular console in history, the PlayStation 2. But, as predicted, it was the PC that walked away with the prize later taking 17% of the vote. And who ameliorate to have the award than Valve boss Gabe Newell.

"Gamers and developers accept benefited enormously from the relentless innovation in PC gaming hardware," Newell said. "On behalf of all of those who've made the PC the greatest gaming hardware of all time, I am honored to take this award."

A somewhat less expected consequence was the Ultimate Game of All Time winner. Again, the public had to vote from a list of 20 titles that included classic (Pac-Man, Tetris) and more mod (GTA V) entries. This writer voted for Half-Life 2, seeing as The Witcher 3 wasn't an choice, merely it was Nighttime Souls that took the accolade with 12% of the vote, though it was skilful to see 1993's Doom in a very close 2nd identify with an 11% share.

Elsewhere, Resident Evil Village, one of our Best PC Games (You Should Be Playing), won game of the year, besides equally Best Audio and All-time Performer for Maggie Robertson's portrayal of Lady Dimitrescu. The critics' pick went to Deathloop (another of our favorites), which is also upward for eight Game Award Nominations.

Total list of Gold Joystick winners:

  • Best Storytelling — Life is Foreign: True Colors
  • Best Multiplayer Game — It Takes Ii
  • Best Audio — Resident Evil: Village
  • Best Visual Design — Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
  • Best Game Expansion — Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island Expansion
  • Mobile Game of the Year — League of Legends: Wild Rift
  • Best Gaming Hardware — PS5
  • Best Indie Game — Death's Door
  • Studio of the Yr — Capcom
  • Best Performer — Maggie Robertson (Lady Dimitrescu)
  • Breakthrough Accolade — Housemarque
  • Best Game Community — Last Fantasy xiv
  • Still Playing Award — Final Fantasy 14
  • PC Game of the Year — Hitman 3
  • Nintendo Game of the Year — Metroid Dread
  • Xbox Game of the Year — Psychonauts 2
  • PlayStation Game of the Twelvemonth — Resident Evil Village
  • Almost Wanted Game — Elden Ring
  • Critics Choice Award — Deathloop
  • Ultimate Game of the Year — Resident Evil Village
  • Ultimate Hardware of All Time — PC
  • Ultimate Game of All Time — Nighttime Souls