How The Game of the Year 2025 nominees compare to past winners

For more than a decade. game award' The Game of the Year category has shaped the conversation around defining excellence in modern gaming. Each winner, from elaborate RPGs to sophisticated platformers, has set a benchmark in world-building, narrative ambition, and mechanical polish, making a significant impact on the industry. This year's nominees uphold that tradition, featuring a mix of iconic sequels, surprising revivals, and bold artistic innovations.

As The Game Awards enters its second decade, its GOTY list is a comprehensive snapshot of where the medium has been and where it's going. The 2025 nominees continue that arc, genres, structures, and creative philosophies, but each also carries DNA from the winners that came before. To understand how this slate stacks up, it's necessary to look at both the back and the front.

Past Winners of the Year (2014–2024)

• 2014 – Dragon Age: Exploration: Celebrated for its extensive world-building and innovative player agency, it pushed its flagship franchise in exciting new directions.
• 2015 – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: Celebrated for being a game with excellent quest writing, character-driven storytelling, and immersive open-world design.
• 2016 – Overwatch: Recognized for revitalizing team 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 quest.
• 2018 – god of war: Honored for reinventing the narrative action-adventure with emotional weight.
• 2019 – Sekiro: Shadows die twice: Won for precision combat, inspired artistry, and uncompromising design.
• 2020 – The Last of Us Part 2: Awarded for narrative ambition and impressive technical achievement.
• 2021 – It takes two: Celebrated for inventive co-op gameplay experiences and constant mechanical reinvention.
• 2022 – Alden Ring: Recognized for its masterful open-world structure and casual lore.
• 2023 – Baldur's Gate 3: Unparalleled feedback, story scale, role-playing freedom, and respected for setting an unprecedented standard for modern RPGs.
• 2024 – Astro Bot: Awarded for the pure craft, fun design, and platforming polish that players worldwide love.

GOTY Nominee Claire Obscur: Campaign 33 vs. 2014–2024

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 This year is the unexpected gem and the talk of the industry. It blends turn-based strategy with painterly surrealism, standing out as a contender for the year's most artistically daring. Its world-building and atmospheric ambitions bear the closest comparison Sekiro, god of warand The Witcher 3Stands out even among these with its more stylized, dreamlike approach. While it may not reach a systemic spread Alden Ring or Baldur's Gate 3Its singular vision and tone mark it as one of the most distinctive creative achievements of the year. Furthermore, Campaign 33 It is the most nominated game in the history of the Games Awards.

How Campaign 33 ranks among these other GOTYs

• E33 As is top-notch artistic direction God of War, Sekiro
• E33 Have strong world building, become friends Witcher 3, Elden Ring
• E33 Compared to the sheer systemic standards fall behind BG3, DA: I

GOTY Nominee Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Vs. 2014–2024

Death Stranding 2 Continues Kojima's meditative approach to traversal, storytelling, and cinematic atmosphere. Its comparison points are unique; None of the GOTY contenders directly matched Kojima's tone. but, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Can find a friend in structural ambitions The Last of Us Part 2 and thematic depth god of war. Although its speed and experimental design may polarize some voters, its originality places it among the most innovative candidates in recent memory.

How Death Stranding 2: On the Beach among these other GOTYs

• DS2 Comparable narrative with is ambitious The Last of Us Part 2, god of war
• It has a relatively experimental feel It takes two (albeit a distinctly different tone)
• DS2 Compared to the broad player appeal falls down Overwatch, Zelda: BOTW

GOTY Nominated Donkey Kong vs. Bananza 2014–2024

Donkey Kong BananaThe nomination marks another win for platformers. Its charm leaning on tight level design, bold colors and expressive character work make it a must-have game for Nintendo Switch 2. Compared to past GOTYs, this one fits the closest. Astro Bot and It takes two Winners are celebrated for fun, speed, and mechanical creativity. While banana Such titles lack narrative scale The Last of Us Part 2 or Baldur's Gate 3Its polish and funky rhythms still place it as a strong contender in years when pure craft is justly rewarded.

How Donkey Kong Bananza Ranks Among These Other GOTYs

• It has top-class craftsmanship Astro Bot, It takes two
• It is comparable in attractiveness Overwatch
• This story and world building goes down like a legend The Witcher 3, god of war, Alden Ring, Baldur's Gate 3

GOTY Nominee Hades 2 vs. 2014–2024

Hades 2 Represents the most ambitious project of Supergiant. after Hades Nominated for Game of the Year 2020, this long-awaited sequel expands on the original's story, combat, and narrative loops. It fits neatly among such winners Sekiro (for precision combat), It takes two (for constant reinvention), and Baldur's Gate 3 (For memorable character design and writing). This is its strongest point of comparison god of warThanks to its emotional core wrapped in high-intensity action. If this year's accolades favor modification and progression from an already acclaimed formula, Hades 2 stands near the top.

How Heads 2 ranks among these other GOTYs

• It has top-tier battle buddies Sekiro and god of war
• It fits like its strong character-driven peers BG3 and Dragon Age: Exploration
• Compared to titles like The Last of Us 2, this final story falls short in execution.

GOTY Nominee Hollow Knight: Silksong Vs. 2014–2024

Hollow Knight: Silksong Refining the Metroidvania structure with a faster pace, expanded combat options, and a denser world, it is one of the most anticipated sequels of this generation. Compared to past GOTY winners, Silksong Aligned very closely with titles such as Sekiro (for skill-forward accuracy), god of war (for challenging combat and emotional tone), and It takes two (for mechanical fluidity). Its handcrafted level of design and technical excellence rank it as one of the year's most meticulously engineered nominees.

How Hollow Knight: Silksong ranks among these other GOTYs

• It has strong precision-gameplay companions Sekiro, god of war
• It is comparable in craft level design and polish It takes two
• It only lags behind in spreading the story of the game BG3, BOTW

GOTY Nominee Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 vs. 2014–2024

Kingdom Come: Redemption 2 Doubles down on historical immersion and grounded realism. Compared to GOTY history, it evokes detail and narrative commitment The Witcher 3 While providing an uncomfortable challenge SekiroAlthough in a different genre. Its simulation-heavy systems and period-accurate worlds set it apart from even better recent winners, making it a standout for players who value authenticity over spectacle.

Ranking Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 among these other GOTYs

• It has strong realism friends The Witcher 3 (in voice), Sekiro (in difficulty)
• It stands toe-to-toe like immersion sports Alden Ring, Baldur's Gate 3 (different direction, same depth)
• It comes down to universal access/appeal to games Overwatch, Astro Bot, It takes two