Golden Lance for Best Live Game

Live service games are a tricky proposition. They have to balance keeping a drip feed of content with making it all seem meaningful. The titles on our list have become masters of their craft. Keeping players satisfied and making everything seem fresh feels natural at this point. These are our winners for Golden Lance Award for Best Live Game.

Winner: Destiny 2

Destiny 2 has settled into a very consistent rhythm with each of its seasons in a given year. The content drip has been turned into a science with new 6-person activities coupled with seasonal storytelling. The season-long stories have had some varying quality this year, but the buildup to next year’s Lightfall expansion is in full swing. From the Season of Plunder’s pirate theme, to the current AI heavy Season of the Seraph, the theming has been especially strong. The writers at Bungie has really stepped up their game. New characters like Fynch and Eido have instantly found their niche in the story powered by strong vocal performances. The loot pool, especially on the armor side, has also been exceptional this year. Destiny 2 has perfected their design and they are well-deserving of our Golden Lance Award for Best Live Game.

Runner Up: Warframe

After The New War last year. Warframe did not take its foot off the gas pedal. When Angels of the Zariman dropped earlier this year, it had some problems but had strong staying power. It was an expansion that actually got me back into Warframe after being away for years. But they kept going, as they added a massive quality of life update that breathed new life into Angels of the Zariman. As well as adding Veilbreaker, which gave new meaningful weekly activities that were just never in Warframe.

They did end the year a little weak with Lua’s Prey, but with The Duviri Paradox on the horizon. Warframe sustained itself well and is bound to have a killer year next year as well!

Runner Up: Gran Turismo

I had my doubts about whether or not to buy Gran Turismo 7, but I am so happy that I did. Every facet of this game has captivated me. The game is immediately welcoming of newcomers, while allowing experienced players to dive right into the challenge. Learning to competently drive and understand the game’s systems never felt like a chore. I honestly believe it is so much more than a racing game for racing fans. It is the quintessential racing game for video game players.

Throughout the year, I found myself returning to Gran Turismo 7 weekly. Whether I was completing the story and license challenges, taking pictures in the amazingly deep photomode,  or just buying a used Mazda RX-7 and tuning it set lap times at Circuit De Spa; I always had fun. While receiving criticism for monetization early in the game’s lifespan, Polyphony Digital continued to support the game with free content updates well through the year, and that kept the game feeling alive. I know I’ll continue to return to the ~wheel well~ for some time to come.