What does ‘Best Game Direction’ mean at TGAs? We asked 13 game directors

In video games, as with films, the scale of a project can vary widely, from a small and scrappy team to thousands of people scattered across the globe. But the end result can look like a million different things, as genres and play styles are spliced together. What’s more, the level of choice and interaction in a game adds further complexity to the task of transforming an idea into a full-fledged experience for players. So each year, when The Game Awards hands out a “Best Game Direction” trophy, and gamers everywhere debate the best work of the year, one wonders: What even is game direction?