For more than ten years, The Game AwardsThe Game of the Year category has shaped the conversation about what defines excellence in modern gaming. From sprawling RPGs to refined platformers, each winner has set a benchmark in world-building, narrative ambition, and mechanical brilliance that has significantly influenced the industry. This year's nominees follow that tradition, presenting a mix of prestigious sequels, surprising revivals and bold artistic innovations.
As The Game Awards enters its second decade, its GOTY list has become a broad sweep of where the medium has been — and where it's going. The 2025 nominees continue this arc, spanning genres, structures and creative philosophies, but each also carries the DNA of winners who came before. Understanding how this shale stacks up requires looking back as well as forward.
Past Games of the Year winners (2014–2024)
- 2014 – Dragon Age: Inquisition: Celebrated for its extensive world-building agency and innovative player agency that took its flagship in exciting new directions.
- 2015 – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: Celebrated as a game with masterful quest writing, character-driven storytelling, and immersive open-world design.
- 2016 – Overwatch: Recognized for reviving team-based shooters with accessible, hero-driven gameplay.
- 2017 – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: Awarded for redefining open world exploration with satisfying loops of discovery.
- 2018 – God of War: Honored for its rebirth of narrative action-adventure with emotional weight.
- 2019 – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice: It won for precise combat, inspired art and uncompromising design.
- 2020 – The last of us part 2: Awarded for narrative ambition and impressive technical performance.
- 2021 – It takes two: Celebrated for inventive co-op gameplay and constant mechanical reinvention.
- 2022 – Elden Ring: Known for its masterful open world structure and emerging lore.
- 2023 – Baldur's Gate 3: Awarded for unmatched reactivity, narrative scope, role-playing freedom, and setting an unprecedented standard for modern RPGs.
- 2024 – Astro Bot: Awarded for its pure craftsmanship, joyful design and platforming brilliance that has charmed players around the world.
GOTY Nominee Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Vs. 2014–2024
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is this year's unexpected gem and the talk of the industry. It combines turn-based strategy with painterly surrealism and stands out as this year's most artistically daring candidate. Its worldbuilding and atmospheric ambitions bear the closest comparison An axe, God of Warand The Witcher 3which stands out even among them with its more stylized, dreamlike approach. Although it may not achieve systemic growth Elden Ring or Baldur's Gate 3its unique vision and tone mark it as the most distinctive creative effort of the year. In addition, Expedition 33 is the game with the most Game Award nominations in history.
How Expedition 33 ranks among these other GOTYs
- E33 has top art direction as God of War, Sekiro
- E33 has strong worldbuilding, becomes peers with The Witcher 3, Elden Ring
- E33 lags behind on an absolute system scale compared to BG3, DA:I
GOTY Nominations Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Vs. 2014–2024
Death Stranding 2 continues Kojima's meditative approach to traversal, storytelling and cinematic atmosphere. Its benchmarks are unique; no GOTY contender matched Kojima's tone directly. However, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach it may find a peer in structural ambition The last of us part 2 and thematic depth God of War. While his pace and experimental design may polarize some voters, his originality makes him one of the most imaginative candidates in recent memory.
How Death Stranding 2: On the Beach ranks among these other GOTYs
- DS2 has comparable narrative ambitions as The last of us part 2, God of War
- It has a comparable experimental spirit to It takes two (although of course a different tone)
- DS2 compared to Overwatch, Zelda: BOTW
GOTY Nominee Donkey Kong Bananza Vs. 2014–2024
Donkey Kong BananaThe nomination marks another win for platformers. Its charm, which relies on solid level design, bold colors, and strong character work, makes it a must-have game for Nintendo Switch 2. Compared to past GOTYs, it is most suited to Astro Bot and It takes two as winners celebrated for joy, dynamism and mechanical creativity. While Banana lacks the narrative range of titles like The last of us part 2 or Baldur's Gate 3its brilliance and joyous beat still place it as a strong contender in the years when pure craftsmanship is rightfully rewarded.
How does Donkey Kong Bananza stack up against these other GOTYs
- It has superior craftsmanship Astro Bot, It takes two
- The charm is comparable to Overwatch
- It falls under the narrative and world-building giants like The Witcher 3, God of War, Elden Ring, Baldur's Gate 3
The discussion about the 2025 game is different from all the others in a big way
Every game of the year sees stiff competition from the hottest titles of the year, but the lineup for 2025 will seemingly be significantly different.
GOTY Nominee Hades 2 Vs. 2014–2024
Hades 2 represents Supergiant's most ambitious project yet. After Hades Nominated for Game of the Year 2020, this long-awaited sequel expands on the mythology, combat, and narrative loops of the original. It fits neatly among the winners such as An axe (for fighting accuracy), It takes two (for constant reinvention) a Baldur's Gate 3 (for memorable character design and writing). His strongest point is comparison God of Warthanks to its emotional core wrapped in high-intensity action. If this year's award favors refinement and progression from an already recognized formula, Hades 2 stands near the top.
How Hades 2 is among these other GOTYs
- He has top fighting colleagues An axe and God of War
- He fits in next to his peers with a strong character BG3 and Dragon Age: Inquisition
- Compared to titles like The Last of Us 2, it falls short in the final execution of the story.
GOTY Nominee Hollow Knight: Silksong Vs. 2014–2024
Hollow Knight: Silksong is one of the most anticipated sequels of the generation, improving the structure of Metroidvania with sharper movement, expanded combat options and a denser world. Compared to past GOTY winners, Silksong most closely matches titles such as An axe (for skill accuracy), God of War (for challenging combat and emotional tone), a It takes two (for mechanical fluidity). Its hand-crafted level design and technical finesse make it one of the year's most carefully designed contenders.
How Hollow Knight: Silksong is among these other GOTYs
- It has strong peers with accurate gameplay An axe, God of War
- It is comparable in level craft design and brilliance It takes two
- It lags behind only in the narrative flight of games like BG3, BOTW
GOTY Nominee Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Vs. 2014–2024
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 it doubles down on historical immersion and grounded realism. Compared to history, GOTY evokes detail and narrative commitment The Witcher 3 and at the same time offers an uncompromising challenge An axealbeit in a different genre. Its simulation-heavy systems and period-accurate world set it apart from the fantastic recent winners, making it exceptional for players who value authenticity over spectacle.
Rating Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 among these other GOTYs
- It has strong realism peers The Witcher 3 (in tone), An axe (in difficulty)
- Its Immersion stands toe-to-toe with similar games Elden Ring, Baldur's Gate 3 (different direction, similar depth)
- It falls below the level of universal accessibility/appeal for games like Overwatch, Astro Bot, It takes two
