To be fair, “game of the year” feels like it’s meant to measure popularity, while “most innovative” sounds like it shouls measure how innovative a game is, which is perhaps why the two awards get such different reactions.
Well tbf as well, innovative is as subjective as game of the year, what seems to be innovative to some might not be one for another. It’s hard to define “innovation” because it’s simply a process of putting in change on an established thing. Try google “innovative product of (year)” and you might see a tons of “isn’t it just x but y” product.
In my case i haven’t played Starfield nor Baldur’s Gate 3 so i wouldn’t know whether they deserve the award or not, if people think it does, hey, more power to them. Steam Award is a popularity contest voted by people anyway, taking it seriously is missing the point.
innovative is as subjective as game of the year
I don’t think I’ve actually heard a single person unironically assert Starfield is ‘innovative’…