As a fan of VR games, you’ve gotta know that Steam has announced their nominees for VR Game of the Year. Scheduled during their 12th Winter Sale, the gaming platform announced last week that votes for Steam Awards 2018 categories will be collected until January 3, 2019, until 10 am PST.

Let the Games Begin!

The third annual Steam Awards honors game titles in two categories — games and VR games. It also awards developers and games with the best environment, content, multiplayer gameplay, historic theme, and game with the best machine elements.  

Since we’re here to discuss all things VR, please note that’s what we’ll be covering. Steam says to plan for “early February 2019” as the target date that Steam Award winners are announced.

While FPS and combat video games swept Steam’s Game of the Year category, the nominees for VR Game of the Year are mixed. Game titles like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR, Fallout 4 VR, and Superhot VR claimed a seat at the top of the list for VR GOTY.

These VR games shared a common theme of face to face combat and each had a unique cross over from PC to VR, a trend we don’t mind seeing from some very well-designed games.

Meanwhile, these PC to VR games are among a breakthrough indie but elite rhythm VR nominee called Beat Saber. For an Early Access Game on Steam, they’ve got a huge community rallying behind them with mods and DLC. While VR Chat, also a crowd favorite, has a good chances for VR GOTY with its socially engaged virtual communities.

Developer studios like CD PROJEKT RED, Ubisoft, Bethesda, Rockstar Games, Digital Extremes Ltd., Square Enix, Capcom, Paradox Interactive, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, and Klei are up for Best Developer award.

Not to diminish the traditionally PC gaming developers around these here parts, but we’re going to shout out the VR-centric studios for the purposes of this VR focused article. Bethesda, a studio that ported The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR in 2018 was received well by fans of the PC and console game from 2011.

Fans of anime and manga got an imaginative and story-driven VR experience with Square Enix’s title Tales of the Wedding Rings VR. Although, Ubisoft did release the psychological thriller and VR experience called Transference.

Games like Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, BATTLETECH, and Dark Souls: Remastered have accumulated great reviews by players alongside studios in the VR realm. These studios dabble in VR but which one will stand as Best Developer for 2018?

VR Games Get Nods But Less Noms

VR is a gaming category that’s new so I get why the category Labor of Love is filled with non-VR games. Yet I can’t wrap my head around VR games losing out on seats at the Best Environment nominee table.

VR is rich in vibrant, engaging and beautiful gaming environments that could match or beat any traditional video game. For instance, Beat Saber, Skyrim VR, Creed: Rise to Glory.

Games like Dead by Daylight, Rainbow Six Siege, CS: GO Danger Zone, and Overcooked! 2 made it onto the Better With Friends list. The PC and VR game PAYDAY 2 is up for the best multiplayer game section.

As far as the Best Alternate History section is concerned, Fallout 4, the PC game got a nom, but the VR one not so much. The category that’s Most Fun With A Machine had no VR entries but did have worthy games like Rocket League and Factorio as nominees.