Hades is the first-ever video game to win a Hugo Award

NEWS Sacha Loric - Dec 29, 2021, 3:00 PM

Roguelike RPG Hades is no stranger to awards, having already won four BAFTAs, a British Academy Award, and two Game Awards from 2020 to 2021. But in a historic first, Hades has won a Hugo Award in the newly-minted Best Video Game category.

Hades was up against stiff competition for the award, besting other nominees Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Spiritfarer, Final Fantasy VII Remake, The Last of Us: Part II, and Blaseball.

Supergiant Games' creative director Greg Kasavin has this to say:

"To have earned this distinction all this time later, especially alongside such an incredible slate of nominees, games of all shapes and sizes, from teams big and small, it really means the world. Video game storytelling has come a long way over the years, and games are really unique as a medium in that they’re interactive and you can really inhabit one of these fantastical worlds and see as it reacts to your every move.”

He also made a point to thank the "Greek gods themselves, above and below, for inspiring people like us for several thousands of years now, and may they long continue to do so."

A great moment for games

Since it began in 1953, the Hugo Awards has annually honored luminaries such as Isaac Asimov, Ursula Le Guin, Kurt Vonnegut, Neil Gaiman, George R.R. Martin, and many more. In recent years, the awards committee has branched out from novels and short stories to giving awards to artbooks, websites, and now, video games as well. That said, the committee has clarified that the video game category is a special inclusion meant only for 2021.

Despite that, it's still a momentous occasion given that, for some time, critics have stated that video games can never be art due to their interactive nature. So kudos to the Hugo Awards for recognizing the artistry behind video games. Here's hoping that the category will return in future awards, as there will undoubtedly be many more video games deserving of a Hugo.

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