The Steam Winter Sale 2019 has arrived!

Every year, Valve runs what is arguably one of the best sales on digital games. Sure, you can sometimes find a better discount, but it's hard to find a digital games retailer that can match up to the sheer volume of what's on offer in the Steam Winter Sale 2019!

As always, they have a special minigame running for the sale, so let's go ahead and check it out!

The Steam Winter Sale 2019 Minigame

The minigame for the Steam Winter Sale 2019 is relatively simple when compared to some of the other games that Valve has run in the past.

Players are able to earn Festivity Tokens in one of two ways:

Buying stuff on Steam, earning 100 tokens for every dollar spent Completing quests

The quests try to get people to make use of new features and look at some of the cool stuff going on. Joining a group chat room, adding games to your wishlist (as if weren't full enough already!), or using the new chat stickers feature can all earn you 100 coins apiece. More quests will arrive later on in the sale.

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So, what do you do with these Festivity Tokens that you can earn? You can purchase a whole bunch of stuff, including new chat stickers, chat room effects, profile backgrounds, and more. Oh — and you can also score a coupon for $5.00 off of your next purchase, though you'll need to spend 5,000 coins to get it.

Here Are Your Steam Awards Nominees

Of course, the arrival of the Steam Winter Sale 2019 also means that it's time for the Steam Awards! As always, voting in one of these categories will earn you a trading card for the event.

Here are the categories and the nominees:

Game of the Year

Maybe it was its immersive gameplay, or its gripping story... its well-crafted characters, immaculate design, or addictive multiplayer. Whatever the reason, the winner of 2019's Game of the Year Award is an instant classic.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Resident Evil 2 remake

Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order

Destiny 2

Devil May Cry 5

VR Game of the Year

When it comes to breaking new ground in games, there is no greater pace of advancement than in VR. If we had our way, all VR devs would get an award for building the future of immersive games and experiences unparalleled by any other medium. But since there’s only one trophy, it’s up to you, Steam Awards Selection Committee member, to crown just one as the best of 2019.

Beat Saber

Blade & Sorcery

Gorn

Borderlands 2 VR

Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted

Labor of Love

This game has been out for a while. The team is well past the first unveiling of their creative baby, but being the good parents they are, these devs continue to nurture and support their creation. This game, to this day, is still getting new content after all these years.

Warframe

Rainbow Six Siege

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Grand Theft Auto V

DOTA 2

Better with Friends

There are some games out there that just aren't the same when you play by yourself. Maybe you need to have a friend to watch your back. Maybe you need to have a friend that you can stab in their back. Either way, mirth is awaiting those who gather friends to play these games.

Risk of Rain 2

DOTA Underlords

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

Ring of Elysium

DayZ

Most Innovative Gameplay

This game is at the front lines of experimentation, pushing the boundaries of the medium with exciting, novel interactions and brain-breaking surprises. This game thinks outside the box, and pulls you out with it!

Baba is You

Slay the Spire

My Friend Pedro

Oxygen Not Included

Planet Zoo

Outstanding Story-Rich Game

Some days, only a narrative-heavy game will hit the spot, and this one packs a wallop. It's as gripping as any soap opera, and as well-tuned as a prestige-TV screenplay. Bravissimo -- for making us feel things!

Plague Tale: Innocence

Disco Elysium

Far Cry New Dawn

Gears 5

GreedFall

Best Game you Suck At

Games have a way of pushing us past any limits we thought we had. Like a montage sequence, we put in work, training our fingers to be quick and nimble, mastering timing and placement over weeks and weeks. At the end of the gauntlet, we're rewarded with profound beauty and a deep sense of personal growth. Unless you hurled your monitor through a plate-glass window on the first day.

MORDHAU

Code Vein

Hunt

Remnant: From The Ashes

Mortal Kombat 11

Outstanding Visual Style

These devs are the Willy Wonka of eye candy. Visual style doesn't aspire to real-world graphical fidelity (though a noble goal in itself)… it describes a distinctive look and feel that suffuses an entire game. This game displays visual cohesion and expression that not only fit the game's world, but make our world look paltry by comparison.

GRIS

Total War: Three Kingdoms

Astroneer

Katana Zero

Subnautica: Below Zero

And that's it for the Steam Awards! What are you waiting for? Go ahead and vote right now, and then have fun shopping in the Steam Winter Sale 2019!

Do you have any games that you really want to pick up in the Steam Winter Sale 2019? What do you think of this year's Steam Awards nominees? Let us know in the comments below!