For the first time in 23 years, Star Wars games have a genuine chance at significant accolades at The Game Awards, with both Star Wars: Zero Company and Star Wars: Galactic Racer garnering critical acclaim. However, a history of prejudice against licensed games and genre biases at the awards may still limit their recognition in major categories.
Historically, The Game Awards and its predecessor, the Spike Video Game Awards, have often relegated licensed titles, including Star Wars games, to specific categories like "Best Game Based on a Movie." While such a category no longer exists, licensed games in the current era tend to be nominated in genre-specific awards rather than for broader craft achievements or Game of the Year. For example, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order received only a fan-voted nomination in 2019, while Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Star Wars Outlaws secured limited nominations in action/adventure and performance categories in subsequent years.
This stands in contrast to 2003, a high point when Star Wars Galaxies and Knights of the Old Republic were both nominated for Game of the Year at the inaugural Spike VGAs, with Rogue Squadron 3 also receiving attention. The current duo of Zero Company and Galactic Racer represent the strongest lineup of Star Wars games since that period, benefiting from critical support and a less crowded awards landscape.
Despite their critical success, both games face an uphill battle for top honors. The Game Awards jury has shown a tendency to overlook strategy and racing genres, historically placing them on a different creative plane than RPGs or action-adventures. While Zero Company is expected to contend for Best Sim/Strategy Game and Galactic Racer for Best Sports/Racing Game, they face stiff competition from titles like Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave and Forza Horizon 6. Galactic Racer, however, might have an edge due to its innovative approach compared to the more formulaic Forza Horizon 6.
Breaking into the general craft categories or the coveted Game of the Year award remains a long shot. Zero Company is considered a potential dark horse, particularly for its narrative depth and expansion of Star Wars lore, but it competes in a crowded field. More realistically, Zero Company could be recognized for Best Narrative, while Galactic Racer might receive nominations for Best Game Direction or Best Audio Design. Such nominations would mark a significant achievement for Star Wars games, offering much-needed recognition for titles that have earned critical praise.