2017 gaming awards – App Trigger superlatives edition

‘Proof Early Access Isn’t Always Hot Garbage’ of the Year – PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG)

Sure, the game may still be a work in progress after PUBG 1.0 released, but you can’t argue its monumental success. Nothing speaks more to 2017 gaming than the proliferation of this Battle Royale title, releasing on March 23 earlier this year and slowly, but surely, upgrading upon its base excellence.

The idea of jumping into an arena with up to 99 other players, where one player or group wins out over all others, was one that millions upon millions of players around the world jumped on immediately. Over the following nine months after its Early Access launch, developers would add new weapons, features, vehicles, quality of life updates and even a new map.

PUBG was so excellent that it sparked debates about what qualifies as a game of the year due to its unfinished nature. While it missed out on our 2017 list due to the fact it didn’t release until two days before our list came out (giving it a fair shake for our voters), it still represents one of the greatest gaming experiences of the year, not just for Early Access games.

Runners-up: Night in the Woods, Dead Cells