The folks over at Devolver Digital have very creative minds, as evidenced by the company’s new strategy to inform prospective players of game delays. In August 2023, Devolver Delayed spoofed Nintendo Directs to announce five titles delayed until 2024. With that year nearing an end, it’s the perfect time for another spoof with the 15th Annual Devolver Delayed Awards 2024. There are three delays this time around; unfortunately, two were already delayed last year. All three are now set to launch in 2025.
Devolver Digital describes Devolver Delayed Awards as “the only awards show recognizing those heroic developers with the courage and determination to delay their game into the next fiscal year.” (It does take courage, no lies there.) This year’s group of nominees is one of the most prestigious thus far, and the experts surely struggled to choose just one winner. With the release date slate wiped clean, it’s time to look ahead.
Award: Best Inadvertent Tripping Simulator
- Nominees: Baby Steps, Trip Lads, Clumsy Wumsy, and Pub Crawlin’
- Winner: Baby Steps (developed by Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, and Bennett Foddy)
- Developer Response: “Wow. Just incredible… Thank you all for this honour. Really, just no words to describe these emotions. I guess if we had to thank someone, it would be Devolver Digital for giving us the opportunity to delay this game for another year. Thank you.”
Read more about Baby Steps here.
Award: Best Late Stage Capitalism Roguelite
- Nominees: Multi-Level Marketing and Me — A Visual Novel, Revenue Quest, Stick it to the Stickman, and Minimum Wage Warlords
- Winner: Stick it to the Stickman (Free Lives)
- Developer Response: “Wow! This is such a surprise. I thought we’d be nominated. I knew it, because our publisher is Devolver Digital, and we’ve got plenty of experience delaying games. But I never thought we’d win. I’d love to share this with our fellow nominees, all of which are incredible late-stage capitalism roguelites. We may have won, but together our economies have failed. Thank you!”
Read a bit more about Stick it to the Stickman here.
Award: Best Glass Demon in a Leading Role
- Nominees: Lucifer’s Mirror 2, Windshield Repair Simulator, The Shattering: Part 2, and Skate Story
- Winner: Skate Story (developed by Sam Egg)
- Developer Response: “I literally broke my arm skateboarding when I was trying to make this game.”
Read more about Skate Story here.
Aside from the three delayed titles, a couple of things that only Devolver can get away with are in the presentation. The “In Mercatus” segment honours (promotes) games that went to market with great success, including the vividly memorable The Crush House. (find DDNet’s review here). There is also an award for Best Colour Version of a Monochromatic Classic, which throws back to beloved mascot Volvy.
Watch the 15th Annual Devolver Delayed Awards 2024:
Buy the hottest games with Amazon.
By purchasing from this link, you support DDNet.
Each sale earns us a small commission.
