Winning Game of the Year isn't just about a shiny trophy or a boost in digital sales. It's actually a bit of a nightmare for the developers if they don't have thick skin. Seriously. Every December, the gaming world collectively loses its mind over whether a specific title deserved the top spot or if the "journalists are out of touch again." We've seen it with Elden Ring, we saw it with The Last of Us Part II, and we definitely saw it with Baldur’s Gate 3.
Winning is a heavy lift.
The Chaos of the Game of the Year Selection Process
People think there’s a secret cabal of guys in suits deciding who wins Game of the Year. Honestly? It's way more chaotic than that. Most major outlets, like IGN, GameSpot, or the massive The Game Awards hosted by Geoff Keighley, use a jury system. This jury is usually made up of over 100 global media and influencer outlets. They vote. Then they vote again. It’s basically a popularity contest for critics, but those critics are usually playing 50+ games a year, so their perspective is skewed toward things that "break the mold."
That’s why you sometimes see a disconnect. A game might be incredibly fun but "too safe" for a critic who has played ten other open-world games that month. If a game doesn't innovate, it rarely grabs that top spot.
Think back to 2014. Dragon Age: Inquisition took home many of the big awards. At the time, people were mostly okay with it. But looking back? Many fans feel Dark Souls II or Bayonetta 2 aged better. Hindsight is a brutal judge in the gaming world.
The "Snub" Factor and Fan Outrage
Is it really a snub if your favorite game loses? Usually, no. But tell that to a God of War fan in 2022 when Elden Ring swept the floor. The tension comes from the fact that we use these awards to validate our own tastes. If the thing I spent 200 hours on doesn't win, does that mean I wasted my time? Of course not. But the internet doesn't do nuance.
Take the 2020 ceremony. The Last of Us Part II won almost everything. The backlash was legendary. Not because the game was bad—it was technically a masterpiece—but because the story was so divisive. Half the audience thought it was the greatest narrative ever told, and the other half felt personally attacked by the plot choices. When a divisive game wins Game of the Year, it creates a "feedback loop of doom" on social media that lasts for years.
What Actually Makes a Winner?
There isn't a checklist, but if there were, it would probably look like a mess. Usually, a Game of the Year contender needs to hit at least three of these marks:
- Technical Wizardry: Does it push the hardware? Think Cyberpunk 2077 (post-patches) or Horizon Forbidden West.
- Cultural Impact: Is everyone talking about it? Animal Crossing: New Horizons didn't win the big TGA award in 2020, but it defined that entire year for millions of people.
- Narrative Weight: Does it make you cry or question your life? Baldur's Gate 3 did this by giving players more freedom than they knew what to do with.
- The "Vibe" Shift: Does it change how other games are made? Breath of the Wild is the gold standard here. It fundamentally changed open-world design for the next decade.
The Rise of the Indie Darling
It used to be that only big-budget AAA titles could even sit at the table. Not anymore. We are living in an era where games like Hades or It Takes Two can actually win. In 2021, It Takes Two—a co-op game about a couple going through a divorce—beat out massive franchises. That was a huge shift. It proved that you don't need a $200 million budget if your core mechanic is tight enough.
👉 See also: Why Knock Off Fighting Games Actually Matter to the Genre
But then you have the "Indie snub" conversation. Why didn't Outer Wilds win more in 2019? Why was Hollow Knight not in the conversation more in 2017? Often, it’s just a matter of visibility. If a jury hasn't finished a 40-hour indie game because they're busy reviewing the new Call of Duty, that indie game loses its shot. It’s an imperfect system.
The Financial Reality of the Title
Let’s talk money. Publishers care about Game of the Year because of the "GOTY Edition." It’s a classic move. You release the game, wait a year, win an award, and then re-release it with all the DLC included for $60. It’s an easy way to extend the tail of a game's profitability.
For an indie developer, a win can be life-changing. It’s the difference between being able to fund your next project and having to go back to freelance work. When Disco Elysium cleaned up at the 2019 awards, it catapulted a niche isometric RPG into the mainstream. That kind of exposure is worth millions in marketing spend.
Why We Should Stop Taking It So Seriously
At the end of the day, these awards are a snapshot in time. They represent what a specific group of people liked in a specific 12-month window.
📖 Related: Why Too Hot to Handle Netflix Game is Actually Better Than the Show
They aren't objective truth.
One thing people forget is how crowded some years are. 2023 was a bloodbath. You had Spider-Man 2, Alan Wake 2, Resident Evil 4, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Baldur’s Gate 3. In any other year, Alan Wake 2 would have cruised to a victory. In 2023? It had to fight for every scrap of attention.
Acknowledge the Flaws
The biggest issue with Game of the Year awards is the "December Problem." Most awards happen in early to mid-December. This means games released late in the year—like a surprise December hit—often get pushed to the following year's ceremony. By then, the hype has died down, and they're competing with newer, shinier titles. It’s a weird quirk of the industry calendar that leaves some great games in a limbo state.
How to Actually Use GOTY Lists
If you're looking for something new to play, don't just look at the winner. Look at the nominees. Usually, the "best" game for you is buried in the category nominations like "Best Simulation" or "Games for Impact."
- Check the "Best Debut Indie" category: This is where the real innovation usually happens.
- Ignore the score, read the "Why": If a game won for "Best Direction," it might be beautiful but janky to play. If it won for "Best Audio Design," grab your headphones.
- Look for consensus across multiple sites: If Eurogamer, Polygon, and Edge all put a weird game you’ve never heard of on their lists, buy it.
The real value of Game of the Year isn't the trophy. It's the conversation. It's the chance to look back at the year and realize that, despite all the corporate nonsense and buggy launches, we actually got some pretty incredible art to play with.
Instead of arguing on Reddit about why your favorite game got "robbed," go play the game that won. You might actually find out why people liked it so much. Or you'll hate it and have even more fuel for your next internet argument. Either way, you're playing games, and that’s basically the point.
🔗 Read more: Why Xbox 360 WW2 Call of Duty Games Still Hit Different After Two Decades
Next Steps for the Savvy Gamer:
- Cross-reference lists: Compare the winners from The Game Awards, the DICE Awards, and the BAFTAs. The games that appear on all three are the true "must-plays" of the year.
- Wait for the Spring Sale: Almost every Game of the Year nominee goes on a deep discount around March or April. Don't pay full price for a year-old game just because it got a new sticker on the box.
- Explore the "snubbed" list: Search for "most underrated games of [Year]" on YouTube or Reddit. The games that were too weird or too niche for a mainstream award are often the most memorable experiences.