The Hugo Awards' first ever game award couldn't have gone to a better choice

Hades
(Image credit: Supergiant Games)

Hades, the revered roguelite action game from indie studio Supergiant Games, has made history by becoming the first video game ever to win a coveted Hugo award. 

The Hugo Awards are usually reserved for literature, film and television, and individual artists within the science fiction and fantasy genres. However, 2021 marks the first time that an award for Best Video Game has been added to the roster.

As reported by Kotaku, other nominees for the award included Animal Crossing New Horizons, Blaseball, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Spiritfarer and The Last of Us: Part 2. Hades faced some tough competition, then, but it's not surprising to see the title come out on top, given the critical acclaim it's enjoyed dating all the way back to its early-access phase in 2018.

Supergiant Games creative director Greg Kasavin was unable to attend the awards ceremony in person, but tweeted a video soon after expressing thanks.

If you've yet to play Hades, the indie game is now more accessible than ever. It's available to play on every major platform including PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Xbox players can even download Hades from the Xbox Game Pass subscription service at no extra cost.

Hades is a Greek mythology-inspired roguelite action game in which you play as Prince Zagreus, son of the titular ruler of the underworld. Your goal is to flee the House of Hades, moving up through various levels of the Greek underworld including Tartaros, Asphodel and Elysium, in a quest to reach the surface. It's no easy task, as Hades himself will do everything in his power to prevent you from escaping.

Throw in a gleefully fun combat system, satisfying upgrades, and a cast of wonderfully memorable characters, all tied together by a brilliant aesthetic and soundtrack, and it's no wonder that Hades continues to catch the attention of awards shows in and out of the gaming sphere.

Hades previously enjoyed success at The Game Awards 2020, being nominated for Game of the Year at the Geoff Keighley-led awards show, and winning the Best Indie Game and Best Action Game categories.

Rhys Wood
Hardware Editor

Rhys is TRG's Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.