All GOTY Winners: A Complete Timeline of Gaming’s Greatest Titles

The Game Awards 2025 is knocking on the doors, and the gaming community is brimming with excitement regarding who'll win the title this year. Exploring all GOTY Winners will help you get an overview of how the gaming industry has evolved over the years, and how the award emphasises innovation, narratives, and many more aspects, much more than basic gameplay experience.

While several game awards are hosted by outlets such as BAFRA, D.I.C.E., Famitsu, Geoff Keighley's award show is surely bringing the most joy and excitement among the community since 2014. That said, this article will explore all GOTY Winners by year to refresh your memory.

All GOTY Winners (By Year)

As discussed, all GOTY winners by year represent how diverse the gaming industry is in terms of innovation, storytelling, visionary, and many more aspects. Meanwhile, what makes this award unique is that, unlike other game awards, it uses 10% public votes to make its final decision along with the rest of the jury's votes.

Certainly, the games have to be genre-defining, groundbreaking, and many more adjectives you can think of to earn that prestigious title. That said, here's a detailed list of GOTY winners by year in chronological order. Before checking them out, however, consider going through our coverage on The Game Awards nominees.

Now, let's talk about all GOTY Winners and why those won the Game of the Year title at The Game Awards:

Dragon Age: Inquisition | 2014

An era where every other Souls-like fan was throwing their controller out in rage while playing Dark Souls 2, BioWare gave a fresh RPG experience through Dragon Age: Inquisition. The Frostbite engine is used in-game, which allows the title to be more dynamic in terms of combat and visuals. It also features character-driven narratives, and certain decisions could lead to internal conflicts or meaningful relationships with particular parties. And this game comes first in the list of all GOTY Winners.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 2015

When it comes to deep, mature, and immersive storytelling, you'll never find a title such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The narrative emotionally resonated with AAA lovers, and the detailed open-world environment is something casual gamers can enjoy.

Players could dive into the adventure with Geralt of Rivia and explore monstrous creatures in the night, and meet new people in different towns. And the most exciting thing was that every city, every jungle has a rich lore that adds a layer of depth to the story. While every Kojima fan was rooting for Metal Gear Solid V, CD Projekt Red's creation had the last laugh.

Overwatch | 2016

In an era where everyone's busy experiencing the mainstream 5v5 FPS titles, the joint venture of Blizzard Entertainment and Iron Galaxy brought some breath of fresh air. Whether a fresh approach by implementing a hint role-playing in FPS, or a highly polished game design, Overwatch was the perfect hot topic for all the multiplayer lovers out there around 2016. Moreover, the developers have created a rich lore for every character in the game, setting a positive tone in the industry.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | 2017

Unlike the OG Legend of Zelda titles, Breath of the Wild gave players enough freedom to explore the open-world map. And like any classic open-world game, the immersive art style continues to resonate with the gaming community, even in 2025. Moreover, the audio queues and sound design are soothing, and it's something we can talk about for hours. While a huge chunk of players were rooting for Horizon Zero Dawn, Zelda just stole the title with its innovative open-world gameplay and aesthetics.

God of War | 2018

Every action-adventure genre fan has praised the God of War series since its beginning in the PS2 era. However, even the hardcore fans never imagined the 2018 version would be so popular that it would win the GOTY award. While the 2005 version was a Greek mythology-based hack-and-slash game, Santa Monica Studios has made it more strategic, story-driven, and based on Norse Mythology.

The “one-shot camera” technique has created an unforgettable experience among the gaming community. And no one can forget the impact of Christopher Judge's voice as Kratos.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice | 2019

If you're a Souls-like title fan, you'll already know how precise the combat mechanics of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice have captivated everyone's mind. The introduction of the resurrection system at the Sculpture's Idol added a big layer to this genre.

Meanwhile, FromSoftware Inc. did a great job portraying the feudal Japan period, and the world design is fabulous. Despite having several strong nominees, such as Resident Evil, Death Stranding, Control, and others, it received the critically acclaimed award.

The Last of Us Part II | 2020

In a year when Ghost of Tsushima's copies were selling like hotcakes, The Last of Us Part II resonated with the people. While the narration was quite bold and emotionally challenging, the advanced combat systems are something we can talk about for hours.

The music, environmental sounds, and strong voice acting of the lead characters (Laura Bailey and Ashley Johnson) have really set the tone. It's like you're a part of an interactive apocalypse movie, not in a game. And it finally got what it deserved.

It Takes Two | 2021

You can ask any gamer couple if they've played It Takes Two, and we can assure you that the answer will be yes. This game was a hot topic in the gaming community during 2021. Starting from innovative Co-op gameplay to narration, it was a complete package for casual gamers.

Every chapter presents a unique story, mini-games, and puzzles, forcing players to think creatively to escape. Unlike the usual AAA titles, the characters don't have any dark backstory, yet they are memorable for their humour, eg, Dr Hakim. The title somehow resonates with co-op fans and remains relevant in 2025.

Elden Ring | 2022

FromSoftware Inc. has set a trademark with their disruptive works over the years in the Souls-like genre. Elden Ring is no exception, and it has just reinvented the formula. Starting from the open-world design to environmental storytelling, it was a heaven for souls-like game lovers. Believe it or not, the introduction of the summon system has made the combats more accessible for casual gamers.

Meanwhile, the visuals are top-notch in this title. Although a few people had chosen God of War Ragnarok as the best, the unique narration of the souls-like title stands apart. Hence, it was kind of a no-brainer for the Jury to vote Elden Ring as GOTY.

Baldur's Gate 3 | 2023

If you talk about the best multiplayer turn-based role-playing game even in 2025, you must mention Baldur's Gate 3. Larian Studios did a great job building the in-game dungeons, as well as characters filled with rich backstories, and the voice lines.

In short, the game is a complete package that RPG lovers would want to spend time with in their free time. Despite having strong nominees, such as Alan Wake 2, Resident Evil 4, and Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, BG3 stayed true to its reputation.

Astro Bot | 2024

While 2024 was packed with groundbreaking games, Astro Bot has succeeded in capturing the gaming community's heart as a modern masterclass in 3D platforming.

Despite having strong nominees, such as Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and Black Myth: Wukong, it somehow connected with the people in general. Moreover, it had already sold around 1.5 million copies by November 2024. It is the most recent title to win the ultimate prize and seal a place on the illustrious Game Awards GOTY winners list.

That's all regarding all GOTY winners. If you've liked our article so far, make sure to check out our latest piece on all Elder Scrolls titles in chronological order.