The Steam Awards
Valve's Monumental Player-Voted Celebration of PC Gaming
Inaugurated in 2016 by Valve, The Steam Awards represent PC gaming's largest purely democratic honors, powered by tens of millions of registered Steam users during the annual Winter Sale.
Pure Democracy and Witty Origins
Valve introduced The Steam Awards in December 2016 to celebrate games on the Steam platform without media gatekeepers, marketing juries, or commercial sponsorships. Voters directly nominate and elect winners, originally guided by creative categories like 'Villain Most in Need of a Hug' and 'I'm Not Crying, There's Something in My Eye', before formalizing the Game of the Year crown.
The 'Labor of Love' Legacy
The awards' defining category, 'Labor of Love', celebrates developers who continuously support, polish, and expand games long past their launch window. Honors bestowed upon Terraria, No Man's Sky, Grand Theft Auto V, and Cyberpunk 2077 highlight the unique longevity and fidelity of the PC gaming community.