All Game of the Year winners at The Game Awards throughout history

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Winning Game of the Year at The Game Awards is the highest honor a video game can receive. Over the past decade, winners like Elden Ring and the new God of War have proven to be truly unforgettable games.

Although many award shows celebrate video games, Geoff Keighley’s The Game Awards are considered the most prestigious. Keighley started the show in 2014 after hosting the Spike Video Game Awards for ten years, and it has become increasingly important and well-respected each year since.

The awards celebrate outstanding achievement in gaming, recognizing everything from innovative indie titles to exceptional voice acting, music, and artistic design. But the most prestigious award is Game of the Year, a true honor reserved for truly impactful games. Below, you’ll find a complete list of every game that has earned this title since 2014.

2014 – Dragon Age: Inquisition

  • Release date: November 18, 2014
  • Developer: BioWare
  • Platforms: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC
  • Genre: RPG

Dragon Age: Inquisition is the third game in BioWare’s popular RPG series. You create your own character and team up with a diverse group of companions to explore the world of Thedas. As you journey, you’ll fight fantastical creatures and grow your character’s abilities. The game offers a lot of freedom – you decide who to ally with, how to fight, and where to go next.

The first Game Awards took place in 2014, shortly after the launch of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. While many considered it a challenging year for game development with the new consoles, BioWare’s role-playing game stood out as the best of the year, winning the Game of the Year award over popular titles like Dark Souls II and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor.

Although it wasn’t the highest-rated RPG of its time, or even the best Dragon Age game, it was remarkably refined and polished. With its faster-paced combat and captivating story, it stands out as one of the strongest entries in the series.

2015 – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

  • Release date: May 19, 2015
  • Developer: CD Projekt Red
  • Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
  • Genre: RPG

The Witcher 3 is an immersive adventure game where you play as Geralt of Rivia. Set in a vast and detailed open world, you’ll become a monster hunter who uses both swordplay and magic. Your choices matter, shaping the story and influencing major events through a compelling, character-focused narrative.

The Witcher 3 remains one of the greatest games ever made, even after more than ten years. It’s packed with content – you could spend hundreds of hours exploring everything it has to offer. The fact that it won Game of the Year over other highly-praised games like Fallout 4 and Bloodborne is a testament to its quality.

Geralt’s story is captivating, filled with unforgettable characters like Ciri, Yennefer, Triss, and Eredin. Even though the original Witcher game series has ended, a fourth game is in development because fans still crave the experience CD Projekt Red created with this highly-regarded RPG.

2016 – Overwatch 

  • Release date: May 24, 2016
  • Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
  • Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
  • Genre: Multiplayer hero shooter

Man, Overwatch was something else when it first came out. It was a 6v6 hero shooter with a ton of cool characters, and we all fell in love with them. The team fights were chaotic and so much fun, and they had these really unique game modes. Seriously, everything – the maps, the ultimate abilities, even the little voice lines – just stuck with you. It was the multiplayer game I was obsessed with back in 2016.

Overwatch made a huge impact when it came out in 2016. Even if you don’t play it much now, Blizzard really led the way with this game. It was a beautifully crafted multiplayer shooter, and players quickly connected with its memorable characters, like Winston and Tracer. It felt like something Disney might create if they made shooter games.

Each game felt like a chance to improve. Even in tough situations, like being overwhelmed by enemies, you could quickly switch characters and change your strategy. The game had endless possibilities for team setups, making it incredibly challenging to master. Its fantastic multiplayer experience earned it the title of Game of the Year in 2016, beating out other popular games like Titanfall 2 and Uncharted 4.

2017 – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

  • Release date: March 3, 2017
  • Developer: Nintendo
  • Platforms: Wii U, Nintendo Switch
  • Genre: Open-world adventure

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an open-world adventure game where you can freely roam the land of Hyrule. It changed the traditional Zelda formula by swapping out straightforward dungeons for challenges based on physics, adding survival aspects, and creating a huge world that encourages players to think outside the box.

Breath of the Wild won because its version of Hyrule is both stunning and incredibly expansive. Exploring its vibrant landscapes is a joy, whether you’re scaling cliffs to find hidden Koroks, gliding over old ruins, or gathering ingredients for cooking. There’s so much to discover and do that you could easily lose yourself for hundreds of hours before even thinking about rescuing Princess Zelda.

This was the first time Link’s adventures featured voice acting, which really brought the characters of Hyrule to life. While Link himself still mostly remained silent, only occasionally shouting his signature cries, experiencing fully voiced cutscenes felt like a special treat.

Combine this with the game’s creative puzzle-solving and the freedom to explore dungeons in any order, and you get a truly special experience – one that was worth the four-year development time and easily deserves the title of Game of the Year.

2018 – God of War

  • Release date: April 20, 2018
  • Developer: Santa Monica Studio
  • Platforms: PS4
  • Genre: Action-adventure

The 2018 God of War game completely reimagined the series, swapping Greek mythology for Norse legends and taking Kratos in an unexpected direction. Instead of a purely rage-filled warrior, the game explores what it would be like for Kratos to be a father, alongside his son, Atreus. They embark on a somber journey to scatter the ashes of Kratos’s wife from the peak of a mountain. While still featuring intense combat and epic boss battles, this new God of War is darker and focuses more on personal storytelling.

God of War won because it took the series in a completely unexpected, and incredibly successful, direction. After a five-year gap, the game revitalized Kratos, giving him depth beyond the typical action hero. It surpassed other acclaimed titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey by delivering both breathtaking large-scale battles and intimate, emotionally resonant scenes focused on the complex relationship between a father and son.

After a five-year wait, the latest installment in the series took a surprising new direction and became a huge hit. It breathed new life into Kratos, a character who once felt familiar, and even surpassed critically acclaimed games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. This epic, while offering a large open world to explore, truly impressed us with both its grand, sweeping moments and its intimate portrayal of a complex father-son bond.

God of War redefined the series, proving it could be about more than just fighting and gore. With a stunning soundtrack and incredible acting, it was a complete success and stands out as one of the best games on the PlayStation 4.

2019 – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

  • Release date: March 22, 2019
  • Developer: FromSoftware
  • Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
  • Genre: Soulslike

Sekiro is a challenging action-adventure game set in a fantastical, reimagined version of Japan. You play as a shinobi drawn into a massive power struggle. To survive the game’s relentless enemies – including terrifying creatures like the Headless Apes – you’ll need to fully master its demanding and precise combat system.

Sekiro won because it excels at fast-paced combat, which many Soulslike fans enjoy. It’s a challenging game with incredibly tough bosses, so it won’t appeal to everyone. However, those willing to learn its unique swordplay will find overcoming its many obstacles to be incredibly rewarding and satisfying.

As a fan, I have to say this game’s world is absolutely stunning, and the enemy designs are incredible. What really got me hooked was how perfectly balanced the progression is – you constantly feel like you’re getting better, but the game always throws a fair challenge your way. It’s tough, for sure, but in a really satisfying way, and honestly, I think it’s one of FromSoftware’s masterpieces.

2020 – The Last of Us Part II

  • Release date: June 19, 2020
  • Developer: Naughty Dog
  • Platforms: PS4
  • Genre: Third-person action

The Last of Us Part II, from the creators of the popular 2013 game, is a much larger and more ambitious story than its predecessor. It explores the destructive nature of violence and the consequences of seeking revenge. Set in a bleak, post-apocalyptic world, the game features realistic and often brutal combat, making you constantly fear for the safety of its characters as they battle both terrifying creatures and other people.

The Last of Us Part 2 won because it’s a remarkably detailed and realistic game, showcasing Naughty Dog at its best. Everything, from intense combat to lifelike character movements and even how ropes behave, feels incredibly authentic. Combined with a deeply emotional story and outstanding performances from the actors, it’s a sequel that successfully expands upon what made the first game so special.

It’s a tough game you likely won’t want to play again immediately, but it’s also fantastic and really demonstrated the power of the PS4.

2021 – It Takes Two

  • Release date: March 26, 2021
  • Developer: Hazelight Studios
  • Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, PC
  • Genre: Co-op platformer

Okay, so It Takes Two is a game you have to play with a friend. Seriously, it’s built for two players. You and your partner will tackle a ton of crazy puzzles, jump around in some seriously wild levels, and just generally have a blast. But it’s not just fun and games – the story’s about a couple, Cody and May, who are going through a rough patch, and you experience their journey as you play. It’s surprisingly touching, and you’ll probably end up learning a thing or two about relationships – and definitely about how well you and your friend can work together!

It Takes Two won because it proved how valuable cooperative games can be, especially those played side-by-side on the same screen. The game is designed for two players, requiring constant teamwork and combined skill to solve puzzles and overcome challenges – it simply can’t be enjoyed alone.

This game is both heartwarming and hilarious, offering a truly unique and compassionate story. While it was nominated alongside excellent titles like Metroid Dread and Deathloop in 2021, it stood out as something completely different – and remains unlike anything else you’ll experience in gaming.

2022 – Elden Ring

  • Release date: February 25, 2022
  • Developer: FromSoftware
  • Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, PC
  • Genre: Soulslike

Elden Ring is an epic adventure where you journey across a vast world, either on foot or riding a spectral steed named Torrent. You’ll face gigantic creatures, incredibly powerful bosses, and explore countless dungeons. While you’re free to choose your battles and where to go next, be prepared – danger and death are constant threats.

Elden Ring won because FromSoftware successfully combined their signature challenging gameplay with a massive, open world. The game offers very little guidance, leaving players to explore and figure things out on their own in a vast and often unforgiving environment full of unexpected discoveries.

The game is incredibly challenging, as you’d expect, but offers a huge variety of ways to overcome each fight. The story and world are deeply engaging, creating a more immersive experience than previous games from the same developer. Elden Ring was a standout title in 2022, surpassing games like God of War Ragnarok and Xenoblade Chronicles 3, and many consider it to be the greatest game of all time.

2023 – Baldur’s Gate 3

  • Release date: August 3, 2023
  • Developer: Larian Studios
  • Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X | S, PC, macOS
  • Genre: RPG

Baldur’s Gate 3 is like a Dungeons & Dragons game brought to life, but with incredible responsiveness. You make choices that truly matter, influencing not only how conversations and battles play out, but also the characters and the world around you.

Despite a fantastic year for games with releases like Resident Evil 4 Remake, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Alan Wake 2, Baldur’s Gate 3 ultimately won. It’s truly unique, offering an incredible amount of variety in gameplay. You can play it multiple times and still find new things – small story details or even characters you didn’t notice before.

Baldur’s Gate 3 gives you incredible freedom to create your own unique story. You choose your companions, decide who to battle, and when – all within a beautifully detailed and expansive world. It’s a truly impressive achievement in game design.

2024 – Astro Bot

  • Release date: September 6, 2024
  • Developer: Team Asobi
  • Platforms: PS5
  • Genre: Platformer

Astro Bot is a delightful 3D platforming game where you save classic PlayStation characters who are stuck in each level. You’ll navigate challenging stages by jumping, swinging, and using other fun abilities, all while trying to beat your best scores and find every hidden item.

Astro Bot won because, like It Takes Two did in 2021, it proved that games don’t always need to be intense or dramatic to be great. The best game of the year can simply be a fun and charming 3D platformer – it doesn’t always have to be about violence or heavy emotions.

Astro Bot is a delightful game focused on exploring vibrant and detailed environments filled with hidden treasures and charming details. Discovering iconic PlayStation characters along the way makes the game world even more engaging, and it leaves you eagerly anticipating Astro Bot’s next adventure.

2025 – TBD

The Game Awards will take place on December 11th, starting at 5 PM Pacific Time / 8 PM Eastern Time. The show will conclude with the announcement of the 2025 Game of the Year winner, chosen from a group of nominees.

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2025-12-10 06:54