Thanks to a solid year for new releases and ongoing games alike,The Game Awards 2024has plenty of competition to go around. Game of the Year will inevitably remain the main event forThe Game Awards 2024, especially given the event will officially celebrate its tenth anniversary. However, Best Ongoing Game may very well be the most stacked category of all this year.
Best Ongoing Game is largely intended to reward live service games for frequent or expansive updates. Of course, this has occasionally been subverted, such as whenCyberpunk 2077claimed victorylast year thanks to a game-fixing update and DLC. In this regard, this year will be a return to form, with the category again being dominated by multiplayer live service games. Even with that being the case, one can’t understate how tough of a competition this really is.
2024 Best Ongoing Game Nominees
Destiny 2
It may not be an exaggeration to say that 2024 was the biggest year forDestiny 2since its launch. On the other hand, the game’s biggest strength this year may also be its biggest weakness.The Final Shapewas an extremely well-received expansion, and has helped to bringDestiny 2to a close. However, this has naturally led to a decline in the frequency of updates, which may dampen its chances of winning in this category.
WHERE TO PLAY
Dive into the world of Destiny 2 to explore the mysteries of the solar system and experience responsive first-person shooter combat. Unlock powerful elemental abilities and collect unique gear to customize your Guardian’s look and playstyle. Enjoy Destiny 2’s cinematic story, challenging co-op missions, and a variety of PvP modes alone or with friends. Download for free today and write your legend in the stars.An Immersive StoryYou are a Guardian, defender of the Last City of humanity in a solar system under siege by infamous villains. Look to the stars and stand against the darkness. Your legend begins now.Guardian ClassesChoose from the armored Titan, mystic Warlock, or swift Hunter.
Diablo 4
When it comes to this year’s award for Best Ongoing,Diablo 4has as good of a story as anybody.Diablo 4released its first expansion pack, calledVessel of Hatred, in October. Not only did Vessel of Hatred enrich the game’s narrative, it also introduced the impressive Spiritborn class. With a solid mix of improvement lent towardsDiablo 4’s gameplay and story, there isn’t much more a fan could have asked from an inaugural expansion.
Diablo® IV is the ultimate action RPG experience with endless evil to slaughter, countless abilities to master, nightmarish dungeons, and legendary loot. Embark on the campaign solo or with friends, meeting memorable characters through beautifully dark settings and a gripping story, or explore an expansive end game and shared world where players can meet in towns to trade, team up to battle world bosses, or descend into PVP zones to test their skills against other players – no lobbies necessary – with cross-play, cross-progression, and couch co-op on Xbox.This is only the beginning for Diablo® IV, with new events, stories, seasons, rewards, and more looming on the horizon.
Final Fantasy 14
To anyone who has a passing familiarity with the game, it may seem likeFinal Fantasy 14is having a great year every year. Although this is true to an extent, 2024 really was an outstanding step forward for the game’s future.Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrailwas released to wide acclaim, with the expansion taking the game’s story in a whole new direction.Dawntrailisn’t without its faults, but criticisms of the game’s story have rarely grown louder than the positive reception to its many other additions.
For newcomers to FINAL FANTASY XIV Online, this edition includes three award-winning titles - FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn the base game, and the first and second expansions: FINAL FANTASY XIV: Heavensward and FINAL FANTASY XIV: Stormblood. This edition also includes a 30-day free play period. Other expansions for the game include Dawntrail, Endwalker, and Shadowbringers.Join over 30 million adventurers worldwide and take part in an epic and ever-changing FINAL FANTASY. Experience all the hallmarks of the best-selling franchise - an unforgettable story, exhilarating battles, and a myriad of diverse and captivating environments to explore. Party up with friends or play solo! Experience all the main story dungeons on your own by calling upon NPC allies to fight by your side.Will you play as a healing mage or an offensive black mage? Perhaps you want to be a warrior and smash enemies in the face. The famed Final Fantasy job system lets you experiment!
Fortnite
Fortnitehas been one of the biggest games in the world since it first entered early access back in 2017, which has made it almost impossible to imagine the game growing any further.Fortnite’s 2024 seasons have been chock-full of chaos, which has seemed to invite more fun than frustration.Fortnite’s Absolute Doom season followed in the footsteps of the game’s other ambitious collabs, and saw a number of popular Marvel characters join the fray.FortniteOGis now set to return as a permanent game mode on December 6, and this may just be the cherry on top for an all-around great year.
Create, play, and battle with friends for free in Fortnite. Be the last player standing in Battle Royale and Zero Build, experience a concert or live event, or discover over a million creator made games, including racing, parkour, zombie survival, and more. Each Fortnite island has an individual age rating so you can find the one that’s right for you and your friends.Explore large, destructible environments where no two games are ever the same. Team up with friends by sprinting, climbing and smashing your way to earn your Victory Royale, whether you choose to build up in Fortnite Battle Royale or go no-builds in Fortnite Zero Build.Discover even more ways to play across thousands of creator-made game genres: adventure, roleplay, survival and more. Or, band together with up to three friends to fend off hordes of monsters in Save the World.
Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2is the only game nominated in this category to have made its debut in 2024, and this could turn out for better or worse regarding its chances. Seeing a new release rise to the top is always satisfying, and there’s no denying thatHelldivers 2made an impact this year. Unfortunately, the game was somewhat bogged down by a few controversies that arose directly from its own fans.Helldivers 2has since made up for many of these with recent updates and announcements, but it’s difficult to call which force will prove more powerful.
Do you believe in freedom? Can you stand in the face of oppression – and defend the defenceless? Wage war for peace. Die for democracy.Join forces with up to three friends and wreak havoc on an alien scourge threatening the safety of your home planet, Super Earth, in this multiplayer co-op shooter for PS5 and PC from Arrowhead Game Studios.Step into the boots of the Helldivers, an elite class of soldiers whose mission is to spread peace, liberty and Managed Democracy using the biggest, baddest and most explosive tools in the galaxy.Helldivers don’t go planet side without proper backup, but it’s up to you to decide how and when to call it in. Not only do you have a host of superpowered primary weapons and customizable loadouts, you also have the ability to call on stratagems during play.Helldivers 2 features Arrowhead’s best cooperative gameplay yet. Collaboration will be vital: Teams will synergize on loadouts, strategize their approach for each mission and complete objectives together.1Enlist in Super Earth’s premier military peacekeeping force today. We are heroes… we are legends… WE ARE HELLDIVERS.
Final Prediction
Eachnominee for The Game Awardstypically has their own unique list of pros and cons. Considering live service games naturally have a vocal audience, and receive plenty of game-changing updates, they are especially prone to controversy. However, the nominees for Best Ongoing Game of 2024 appear to have completely flipped this idea on its head.
In this case, it would be incredibly easy to make a case for any of these games to win. If anything, the true task is sifting through each game and selecting which doesn’t have a chance of winning the day. Although it seems like a pure toss-up, one game does feel ready to pull ahead. When all the chips are down, it seems likeFortnitemight be gearing up to pull out on top. Perhaps this is the safe bet, but that certainly doesn’t make it the wrong call.
Fortnitehas won this award before, and its major updates in 2024 have helped to breathe new life into a game that was already massive. Of course, there are nominees that have run in this category before. In fact,Final Fantasy 14has won this exact award in years past. This only speaks to the challenge for everyone, but it’s a challenge thatFortnitemay just be ready to tackle.
