Let's Not Settle on What 'Game of the Year' Means
The challenge of uncovering fresh titles continues to be the video game industry's most significant existential threat. Even in stressful age of business acquisitions, growing revenue requirements, labor perils, extensive implementation of artificial intelligence, digital marketplace changes, evolving audience preferences, hope somehow returns to the mysterious power of "making an impact."
That's why I'm increasingly focused in "awards" more than before.
With only some weeks remaining in 2025, we're deeply in GOTY season, an era where the small percentage of enthusiasts not enjoying identical several no-cost action games weekly play through their library, discuss game design, and understand that they too won't experience everything. Expect detailed best-of lists, and anticipate "but you forgot!" reactions to such selections. An audience consensus-ish voted on by press, content creators, and fans will be announced at annual gaming ceremony. (Creators weigh in next year at the DICE Awards and GDC Awards.)
This entire recognition is in enjoyment — there are no right or wrong choices when naming the best releases of 2025 — but the significance appear greater. Every selection cast for a "game of the year", whether for the prestigious top honor or "Excellent Puzzle Experience" in fan-chosen honors, opens a door for a breakthrough moment. A medium-scale game that flew under the radar at debut could suddenly gain popularity by being associated with higher-profile (i.e. extensively advertised) big boys. Once 2024's Neva popped up in the running for an honor, I'm aware without doubt that numerous gamers suddenly sought to check analysis of Neva.
Historically, award shows has made limited space for the diversity of releases published each year. The difficulty to address to review all appears like a monumental effort; nearly numerous games launched on digital platform in 2024, while just a limited number titles — from recent games and continuing experiences to mobile and virtual reality platform-specific titles — were included across the ceremony finalists. As commercial success, conversation, and digital availability influence what players choose every year, it's completely impossible for the scaffolding of accolades to adequately recognize twelve months of games. Nevertheless, there exists opportunity for enhancement, provided we recognize its importance.
The Predictability of Game Awards
Recently, the Golden Joystick Awards, one of video games' longest-running recognition events, announced its contenders. Although the vote for top honor main category occurs soon, you can already see the direction: 2025's nominations made room for deserving candidates — major releases that garnered recognition for polish and ambition, successful independent games celebrated with major-studio hype — but in a wide range of honor classifications, there's a evident concentration of repeat names. Throughout the incredible diversity of creative expression and play styles, excellent graphics category makes room for multiple sandbox experiences taking place in ancient Japan: Ghost of Yōtei and Assassin's Creed Shadows.
"Suppose I were creating a next year's GOTY in a lab," one writer wrote in a social media post that I am amused by, "it should include a PlayStation exploration role-playing game with mixed gameplay mechanics, party dynamics, and randomized replayable systems that incorporates gambling mechanics and has basic building development systems."
GOTY voting, throughout official and informal versions, has become foreseeable. Multiple seasons of candidates and winners has created a formula for which kind of high-quality extended game can score award consideration. There are titles that never achieve top honors or including "important" crafts categories like Game Direction or Writing, thanks often to formal ingenuity and quirkier mechanics. Most games released in a year are expected to be limited into specific classifications.
Notable Instances
Hypothetical: Would Sonic Racing: Crossworlds, an experience with critical ratings only slightly shy of Death Stranding 2 and Ghosts of Yōtei, achieve the top 10 of annual top honor category? Or maybe one for best soundtrack (since the audio is exceptional and warrants honor)? Unlikely. Top Racing Title? Absolutely.
How outstanding should Street Fighter 6 require being to receive top honor consideration? Can voters look at distinct acting in Baby Steps, The Alters, or The Drifter and see the greatest performances of this year lacking major publisher polish? Does Despelote's short play time have "adequate" plot to merit a (earned) Best Narrative honor? (Furthermore, does The Game Awards need Excellent Non-Fiction classification?)
Similarity in favorites across the years — within press, on the fan level — demonstrates a process progressively skewed toward a specific extended game type, or indies that achieved sufficient impact to meet criteria. Not great for an industry where finding new experiences is everything.
