Did Elden Ring Win Game of the Year?
Since its first announcement in 2019, Elden Ring has been one of the most anticipated releases of 2021. Developed by legendary video game creator Hidetaka Miyazaki, the game promised to bring a thrilling combination of action-adventure and RPG elements.
But while Elden Ring was released to much fanfare in January 2021, it’s unclear whether the game actually won the prestigious title of Game of the Year.
Game of the Year Criteria
Game of the Year is a widely coveted award given by video game publications and other outlets like the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. It is awarded to the video game that is seen to best represent the qualities of excellence in gaming of the year it is awarded in.
The criteria for entry for the Award is twofold: a game must not only be genuinely good but must also have effectively utilized its individual genre, setting, or story to stand out from other entries.
Pros and Cons of Elden Ring
On the upside, Elden Ring certainly allows players to explore vast new worlds and provides a variety of thrilling gameplay scenarios. The combat system is satisfying and the character customization options are vast.
On the downside, some players were disappointed in the lack of gameplay variety, with flaws like an inadequate enemy AI and a plot that is difficult to follow.
Did Elden Ring Win Game of the Year?
Given the critique of Elden Ring, some might think that it failed to live up to the expectations of the gaming community and should not have won the award. Despite its flaws, however, Elden Ring still managed to impress some critics and was nominated for several awards.
Sadly, it did not ultimately win the award. While the game was well-received and garnered multiple recognitions, it was ultimately pipped to the post by Horizon Zero Dawn 2 and passed over for the Game of the Year award.
Ultimately, the decision to award the title of Game of the Year is subjective and the title can go to any game that the awarding bodies deem to fit the criteria. In this case, the title went to Horizon Zero Dawn 2.
