Everyone has an opinion on what makes a "Game of the Year," but the history of the actual winners is way weirder than you probably remember. You’ve seen the trophies. You’ve heard the orchestral medleys. But if you look back at the actual list of game of the year winners, it’s a chaotic timeline of industry shifts, massive upsets, and "how did that happen?" moments.
It isn't just about who had the biggest marketing budget. Honestly, sometimes it’s about which game managed to survive the "discourse" long enough to reach the December stage.
The Shocking Sweep of 2025
Let’s talk about what just happened. The most recent ceremony was basically a coronation for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Most people expected a slugfest between Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and the long-awaited Hollow Knight: Silksong. Instead, we watched a debut title from Sandfall Interactive absolutely dismantle the competition.
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It didn't just win; it broke the record for most wins in a single night.
Nine trophies.
In one evening.
It beat out Ghost of Yōtei and Hades II for the top prize, proving that the jury—which makes up 90% of the vote—is starting to value "prestige" RPG mechanics and high-concept turn-based combat over established sequels. It’s the first time a debut game has ever climbed that mountain.
A Look Back: The Modern Era of Game of the Year Winners
Since 2014, when The Game Awards (TGA) officially took over the cultural zeitgeist, the winners have acted as a sort of "vibe check" for the entire industry.
- 2024: Astro Bot. This was a win for joy. Pure, unadulterated platforming. It beat Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and the viral hit Balatro. People were worried the jury only liked "sad dad" games with cinematic camera angles, but the little robot proved everyone wrong.
- 2023: Baldur's Gate 3. Larian Studios basically changed the rules. Before this, "CRPG" was a niche term. After this, it was a global phenomenon. It won 6 awards that year and even picked up another trophy for "Best Community Support" in 2025.
- 2022: Elden Ring. The inevitable victory. FromSoftware’s open-world opus was so dominant that even a masterpiece like God of War Ragnarök couldn't quite catch it.
- 2021: It Takes Two. Probably the biggest curveball in the history of game of the year winners. A co-op only game with a talking book? It won. It beat Resident Evil Village and Metroid Dread. It proved that creativity can occasionally beat raw graphical fidelity.
The Full List of Winners (2014–2025)
If you're trying to settle a bet, here is the official chronological lineup of the big winners:
2025: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 2024: Astro Bot 2023: Baldur’s Gate 3 2022: Elden Ring 2021: It Takes Two 2020: The Last of Us Part II 2019: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice 2018: God of War 2017: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2016: Overwatch 2015: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 2014: Dragon Age: Inquisition ## The "Snub" Factor: What the History Books Miss
The winners are only half the story. The "losers" often define the year just as much. Take 2016. Overwatch winning was a massive deal because it was a multiplayer-only shooter. It beat Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, which was Naughty Dog's technical pinnacle at the time. To this day, fans argue that Uncharted 4 was the more "complete" experience.
Then you have 2018. The battle between God of War and Red Dead Redemption 2 was basically the gaming equivalent of the 1975 "Thrilla in Manila." God of War took the top prize, but Red Dead 2 walked away with more total awards that night (four).
And let's not forget the 2025 snubs. Death Stranding 2 went into the night with 8 nominations and left with zero. Zero. That’s the kind of heartbreak that keeps Hideo Kojima fans up at night. Silent Hill f and Blue Prince were also huge fan favorites that couldn't quite break into the final winner's circle despite glowing critical reviews.
How These Games Actually Win
People often think it's a popular vote. It isn't. Not really.
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The winner is decided by a blended vote: 90% comes from a jury of over 100 global media outlets and influencers, and 10% comes from the public fan vote. This is why you'll see a game like Wuthering Waves win the "Players' Voice" (which is 100% fan-voted) while a more "prestige" title like Expedition 33 takes the actual Game of the Year trophy.
The jury approach is designed to stop "social engineering"—basically, to prevent a massive fanbase from spamming votes for a mediocre game just because they like the developer. It's not perfect, but it’s why the winners usually have a Metacritic score of 85 or higher.
Why 2025 Changed Everything
The victory of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a pivot point. For years, the game of the year winners were dominated by massive, established studios like Sony Santa Monica, FromSoftware, or Nintendo.
Expedition 33 was a debut.
It was risky.
It had a turn-based system that felt like a love letter to the 90s but looked like a high-budget film.
Its success suggests the "jury" is getting tired of the same three or four franchises winning every year. We're seeing a shift where "Indie-plus" or AA games are finally being treated with the same reverence as the billion-dollar blockbusters.
Actionable Insights for Players and Collectors
If you're looking to catch up on the best of the best, don't just look at the winners. Look at the "Best Game Direction" nominees. That's usually where the most innovative stuff lives.
- Track the "Best Ongoing" Winners: If you want a game that lasts forever, look at No Man's Sky. It won Best Ongoing Game again in 2025, nearly a decade after its disastrous launch. That’s a testament to developer commitment.
- Watch the "Indie" Category: Often, the "Best Independent Game" winner is actually better than the GOTY winner, just with a smaller budget. Games like Hades (2020) and Balatro (2024) are essential plays even if they didn't take the final trophy.
- Ignore the Console Wars: Game of the Year winners are increasingly multi-platform. Whether you're on PS5, Xbox, or PC, the "exclusivity" wall is crumbling for most major winners.
The reality of game of the year winners is that they are snapshots in time. They tell us what we valued as a culture in a specific month. Whether you agree with the 2025 results or you're still mad about Red Dead 2 losing in 2018, these awards are the closest thing we have to a permanent record of gaming excellence.
To truly understand the evolution of the medium, play through the "Big Three" of the last few years: Elden Ring, Baldur's Gate 3, and Expedition 33. You'll see exactly how the industry moved from open-world exploration to deep narrative choice and, finally, to the "New Prestige" era of 2025.