Because people have no idea what innovative means. Nor does Valve, since Arc Raiders was in the category.
Comment on The 2025 Steam Awards Winners
Coelacanth@feddit.nu 3 weeks ago
Okay listen. I know I haven’t played it myself but… Isn’t Arc Raiders just another fucking extraction shooter? How the fuck does it beat Blue Prince for most innovative gameplay?
P1nkman@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
popcar2@piefed.ca 3 weeks ago
Nor does Valve, since Arc Raiders was in the category.
Valve doesn’t decide anything, the whole Steam awards are voted by the community. It’s a popularity contest.
DireTech@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
No because we can’t add our own picks. You choose from a limited selection.
IronKrill@lemmy.ca 3 weeks ago
The top 4 picks aee decided by user nomination a ~month before.
PlzGivHugs@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
While I don’t think it deserves the win over Blue Prince, it does have some interesting gameplay innovations compared to others in the genre, as well as some interesting tech.
In particular, the included PvE element, as well as the sorter session and decreased death penalty makes the game much more accessible. It also helps offer an incentive to not shoot-on-sight, as the bots serve as a common enemy and shared threat. Its a difference between games like PUBG where games are tense, hour-long affair, and something like Fortnite where its colourful, easy to get into, and despite still being competitve, filled with other diversions for those who won’t win.
jonathan@piefed.social 3 weeks ago
It also sold way better than Blue Prince did. The Steam awards are always going to be weighed heavily in favour of the better selling games.
AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
“Innovative” means “hey, I think I’ve heard of this title!”.
JakoJakoJako13@piefed.social 3 weeks ago
Isn’t Blue Prince just Betrayal at House on the Hill the video game?
Coelacanth@feddit.nu 3 weeks ago
Well… kinda but not really. The room-placement is only a small part of Blue Prince though and I think turning it into a roguelite was pretty innovative.
Funny story, Tonda Ros actually hadn’t heard of Betrayal until Blue Prince was well into beta testing. These things happen. The true inspiration for it was a choose-your-own-adventure/puzzle book by Christopher Manson called “The Maze”. Manson actually contributed with the art for the paintings in the Gallery in Blue Prince.
HarkMahlberg@kbin.earth 3 weeks ago
This is the first time anyone has described Blue Prince in a way that made me want to play it lol. Not knocking the game, I just figured it would never be up my alley. But I'm a big fan of Betrayal.
LettyWhiterock@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Steam awards are pretty much always like this. Popularity over the actual category itself.
warm@kbin.earth 3 weeks ago
Steam Awards is a popularity contest.
HarkMahlberg@kbin.earth 3 weeks ago
Arc is definitely the "yep, steam voters have shit taste" one of the bunch.
warm@kbin.earth 3 weeks ago
Yeah, the rest I can understand, Arc Raiders is anything but innovative.
TORFdot0@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
It’s innovated in that it’s an extraction shooter that has mass appeal and isn’t a total drag to play but it’s not exactly game breaking mechanics-wise.
I think it’s the multiplayer game of the year. Wouldn’t call it the most innovative game of the year