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The difficulty of discovering new titles continues to be the video game industry's biggest existential threat. Despite worrisome era of corporate consolidation, rising financial demands, employee issues, broad adoption of artificial intelligence, platform turmoil, changing audience preferences, progress often revolves to the dark magic of "breaking through."

That's why I'm increasingly focused in "honors" than ever.

Having just several weeks left in 2025, we're completely in Game of the Year season, a time when the minority of gamers who aren't playing identical multiple no-cost shooters every week play through their library, debate game design, and realize that they too won't experience everything. We'll see comprehensive best-of lists, and we'll get "you missed!" reactions to those lists. A gamer consensus-ish voted on by media, influencers, and enthusiasts will be issued at annual gaming ceremony. (Developers weigh in in 2026 at the interactive achievements ceremony and GDC Awards.)

All that sanctification is in enjoyment — there are no correct or incorrect choices when it comes to the greatest titles of the year — but the significance do feel higher. Any vote made for a "GOTY", either for the grand GOTY prize or "Excellent Puzzle Experience" in fan-chosen honors, provides chance for a breakthrough moment. A medium-scale adventure that received little attention at debut may surprisingly find new life by being associated with more recognizable (meaning heavily marketed) major titles. When 2024's Neva appeared in the running for recognition, I'm aware for a fact that tons of people quickly wanted to read coverage of Neva.

Conventionally, award shows has made minimal opportunity for the variety of games launched every year. The hurdle to overcome to consider all seems like climbing Everest; nearly numerous releases came out on PC storefront in last year, while only 74 releases — including new releases and live service titles to smartphone and virtual reality exclusives — were represented across the ceremony nominees. As mainstream appeal, conversation, and storefront visibility drive what people play annually, there's simply not feasible for the framework of awards to properly represent a year's worth of titles. Still, potential exists for enhancement, provided we accept it matters.

The Familiar Pattern of Game Awards

Earlier this month, a long-running ceremony, one of gaming's oldest recognition events, published its nominees. While the decision for top honor proper occurs early next month, you can already notice the direction: The current selections made room for deserving candidates — major releases that have earned praise for refinement and scale, successful independent games received with blockbuster-level attention — but in multiple of award types, we see a noticeable predominance of repeat names. In the incredible diversity of art and gameplay approaches, top artistic recognition makes room for several sandbox experiences located in feudal Japan: Ghost of Yōtei and Assassin's Creed Shadows.

"Were I constructing a future Game of the Year theoretically," an observer commented in a social media post I'm still chuckling over, "it must feature a Sony open world RPG with strategic battle systems, companion relationships, and RNG-heavy replayable systems that leans into gambling mechanics and features modest management construction mechanics."

Award selections, across organized and community versions, has become expected. Multiple seasons of candidates and winners has created a formula for which kind of refined 30-plus-hour experience can score a Game of the Year nominee. There are titles that never break into main categories or even "important" creative honors like Direction or Story, frequently because to innovative design and quirkier mechanics. Many releases released in annually are destined to be relegated into specific classifications.

Specific Examples

Hypothetical: Would Sonic Racing: Crossworlds, an experience with a Metacritic score only slightly shy of Death Stranding 2 and Ghosts of Yōtei, crack highest rankings of industry's Game of the Year competition? Or maybe one for best soundtrack (because the audio stands out and merits recognition)? Unlikely. Top Racing Title? Certainly.

How good does Street Fighter 6 require being to earn Game of the Year consideration? Might selectors evaluate distinct acting in Baby Steps, The Alters, or The Drifter and acknowledge the best performances of this year absent major publisher polish? Does Despelote's two-hour length have "adequate" narrative to deserve a (justified) Excellent Writing award? (Additionally, should The Game Awards benefit from Top Documentary category?)

Similarity in preferences throughout the years — among journalists, within communities — reveals a system more skewed toward a particular time-consuming style of game, or indies that landed with enough of attention to check the box. Not great for an industry where discovery is everything.

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