In this article we shall cover every year’s game of the year the contenders for the year and who won the award that year. To be true I am using the list to visit the games which I haven’t had played before and trying all of them one after the other.
Table of Contents
What is Game of the Year?
Game of the Year (GOTY) is a prestigious title awarded to a video game that stands out as the best in its release year. This recognition is given by various gaming publications and award ceremonies. The GOTY award is highly coveted in the gaming industry as it signifies excellence in various aspects such as gameplay, narrative, innovation, and technical achievement.
How are Winners Selected?
The selection process for the Game of the Year varies depending on the awarding body. Generally, a panel of judges, consisting of industry experts, journalists, and sometimes public votes, determines the winner. The judges are typically from various gaming publications and media outlets. They evaluate games based on a range of criteria, including creativity, technical excellence, narrative, gameplay mechanics, and overall impact on the gaming community.
Criteria for Nominations
The criteria for nominating a game for the GOTY award include several factors. A game must have been released within the year it is being considered for. It should exhibit excellence in aspects like design, storytelling, technical performance, and overall player experience. The game should also contribute something significant or innovative to the gaming industry. The impact of the game on players and its reception by the gaming community are also crucial factors.
Who Votes?
The voting body usually comprises a jury of video game critics and journalists from various publications. These jurors are responsible for playing, reviewing, and evaluating a wide range of games throughout the year. In some awards, there is also a component of public voting, where gamers can cast their votes for their favorite games, contributing to the final decision.
When Does It Happen?
Game of the Year awards are typically announced at the end of the year or early in the following year. This timing allows for all games released within the calendar year to be considered. Major gaming awards like The Game Awards usually hold their ceremonies in December, where they announce the GOTY along with other category winners.
These details provide a comprehensive overview of the Game of the Year award, its significance, selection process, criteria, voting, and timing.
2014
- Winner: Dragon Age: Inquisition (BioWare/Electronic Arts)
- Nominees: Bayonetta 2, Dark Souls II, Hearthstone, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
2015
- Winner: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt Red/CD Projekt)
- Nominees: Bloodborne, Fallout 4, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Super Mario Maker
2016
- Winner: Overwatch (Blizzard Entertainment)
- Nominees: Doom, Inside, Titanfall 2, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
2017
- Winner: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
- Nominees: Horizon Zero Dawn, Persona 5, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Super Mario Odyssey
2018
- Winner: God of War (Santa Monica Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Nominees: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Celeste, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Monster Hunter: World, Red Dead Redemption 2
2019
- Winner: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (FromSoftware/Activision)
- Nominees: Control, Death Stranding, Resident Evil 2, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, The Outer Worlds
2020
- Winner: The Last of Us Part II (Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Nominees: Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Doom Eternal, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Ghost of Tsushima, Hades
2021
- Winner: It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios/Electronic Arts)
- Nominees: Deathloop, Metroid Dread, Psychonauts 2, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Resident Evil Village
2022
- Winner: Elden Ring (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco Entertainment)
- Nominees: A Plague Tale: Requiem, God of War Ragnarök, Horizon Forbidden West, Stray, Xenoblade Chronicles 3
2023
- Winner: Baldur’s Gate 3 (Larian Studios)
- Nominees: Alan Wake 2, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Resident Evil 4, Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Final Thoughts
Game of the year list is quite extensive however its subjective at the end of the you will find a lot of games that you might love to play not included in the list. However these are good games for sure and worth a try. Best part at the time of writing this article there are huge sales going on across various platforms like steam. You can check those out incase you are interested in any of the games I think it is a good time to pick them up.
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