GOTY Winners by Year: Why These Games Actually Won

Gaming history isn't just a list of names. It’s a record of what we cared about, what blew our minds, and honestly, what caused the biggest fights on the internet. When you look at goty winners by year, you aren't just seeing sales figures. You’re seeing the moment everything changed for the medium.

Remember when Overwatch beat Uncharted 4? People lost their minds. Or how about the absolute dominance of Baldur’s Gate 3? We're going to walk through the heavy hitters and the shocking upsets that defined the last few decades.

The Modern Era of The Game Awards

Since Geoff Keighley kicked off the current iteration of The Game Awards in 2014, the "GOTY" title has become the industry's North Star. Before then, things were a bit more scattered between Spike TV and Various magazines.

2025: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
This was the upset of the decade. A turn-based RPG from a debut French studio, Sandfall Interactive, took down giants like Death Stranding 2 and Hollow Knight: Silksong. It was a massive win for the "indie-plus" space. People were stunned that a game with such a specific, reactive combat system could sweep the biggest categories, including Best Narrative and Best RPG.

2024: Astro Bot
Sony's platformer didn't just win; it reminded everyone that gaming is allowed to be fun. Pure, unadulterated joy. It beat out Black Myth: Wukong and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree because it felt like a love letter to the history of PlayStation itself.

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2023: Baldur’s Gate 3
Larian Studios basically broke the industry. There was so much content, so much choice, and so much... well, bear. It was a rare moment where everyone—critics and fans—actually agreed. It pushed aside Alan Wake 2 and Tears of the Kingdom in a year that was arguably the strongest in gaming history.

2022: Elden Ring
The "open-world" formula was getting stale until FromSoftware decided to drop a masterpiece. It was difficult, cryptic, and massive. It beat God of War Ragnarök in a heavyweight fight that felt like two eras of game design clashing.

2021: It Takes Two
A co-op only game winning? Bold. Hazelight Studios proved that mechanics tied to emotional storytelling could win over a gritty blockbuster like Resident Evil Village.

The Titans of the 2010s

This decade was where games went "prestige." Narrative became king, and developers started chasing Hollywood-level production values.

• 2020: The Last of Us Part II – Deeply divisive, technically flawless. It holds the record for one of the most awarded games in history, despite the internet firestorms.
• 2019: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – FromSoftware's first major GOTY win at TGA. It proved that "hard" games had mainstream appeal.
• 2018: God of War – Kratos went from a one-note rage monster to a tired dad. The "no-cut" camera was a gimmick that actually worked.
• 2017: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – It changed how open worlds are built. Period.
• 2016: Overwatch – The peak of the "hero shooter" craze.
• 2015: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – CD Projekt Red set the bar for side quests that actually mattered.
• 2014: Dragon Age: Inquisition – The first-ever TGA winner. It beat Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor in a transitional year for consoles.

Looking Back: The D.I.C.E. and Legacy Winners

Before the big flashy shows, the D.I.C.E. Awards (Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences) were the primary "prestige" metric. If you look at the goty winners by year through their lens, you see the foundation of modern gaming.

In 2013, The Last of Us dominated. It was the game that made everyone realize Naughty Dog was in a league of their own. Go back further to 2011, and you find The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. It’s a game people are still buying on their refrigerators today.

The year 2004 was particularly wild. You had Half-Life 2 changing physics engines forever and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas redefining what "big" meant. Depending on who you asked—D.I.C.E. or the Golden Joysticks—the winner changed. But Half-Life 2 is generally the one historians point to as the true victor of that era.

Historical Heavyweights

• 2007: BioShock – "Would you kindly" changed how we looked at player agency.
• 2002: Battlefield 1942 – It brought scale to the FPS genre that Halo (the 2001 winner) had started.
• 1998: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – This is often cited as the greatest game of all time. It’s the game that perfected 3D movement.

Why Some Years Feel "Weak"

Not every year is 2023. Sometimes the release calendar is just... empty. Take 2014 or 2021. Those years were plagued by console transitions and global delays. Dragon Age: Inquisition and It Takes Two are great games, but they didn't have to face off against a Zelda or a Rockstar title.

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Conversely, some games are unlucky. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a masterpiece, but it came out the same year as God of War. In almost any other year, Arthur Morgan walks away with the trophy. That’s the nature of the beast.

How GOTY Winners Are Actually Picked

Most people think it's a popular vote. It isn't. For The Game Awards, the winner is determined by a jury of over 100 global media and critic outlets. The fan vote only counts for 10% of the final score.

This is why "Player's Voice" often differs from the main GOTY. In 2025, while the critics went for Expedition 33, the fans pushed Wuthering Waves and Hollow Knight: Silksong to the top of the popular vote.

What Critics Look For

1. Innovation: Did the game do something new?
2. Polish: Is it buggy or a smooth experience?
3. Cultural Impact: Is everyone talking about it?
4. Cohesion: Do the music, art, and gameplay actually fit together?

Actionable Takeaways for Gamers

If you're looking to catch up on the best of the best, don't just look at the winners. Look at the nominees. Often, the "losers" are more experimental and interesting than the winners.

• Check the "Backlog" Value: Games like Elden Ring or Baldur’s Gate 3 offer 100+ hours of value. They are "safe" buys even years later.
• Don't Ignore the Indies: Since It Takes Two and Expedition 33, the line between "Indie" and "AAA" has blurred.
• Watch the Sales: GOTY winners almost always go on deep discount during the Steam Winter Sale or the PlayStation "Days of Play" event right after the awards in December.

To see the evolution for yourself, start with a "generational" playthrough. Play Ocarina of Time (1998), then Skyrim (2011), then Elden Ring (2022). You’ll see exactly how the DNA of gaming has mutated over thirty years.