The 10 Greatest Games That Didn't Win Game of the Year

Published Sep 27, 2026, 6:22 AM EDT Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck is a writer for Collider. He grew up creating lists, stories, and worlds, which led to his love of anime and video games. He attended Sheridan College where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Game Design. Lucas and his group won 1st place for technical innovation at LevelUp Toronto 2023, and he was also an intern for the Oakville Film Festival of Arts. Every time near the end of the year, fans and critics come together to rank and compare the best video games that came out. There have been endless masterpieces each year, but only one title can claim the illustrious award, with a couple of winners being God of War and Elden Ring. Of the many publications, the most popular and most recent is the Game Awards hosted by Geoff Keighley. With big events, new game announcements, and the final orchestra, it is a major gaming event that decides which game is the best. However, what about the titles that don’t win? That is why this list will rank the ten best video games that did not win Game of the Year at the Game Awards based on aspects such as gameplay, design, narrative, visuals, originality, fan opinion, critical acclaim, and overall quality. ‘Bloodborne’ (2015) Image via Sony Computer Entertainment FromSoftware is a prolific video game studio that is no stranger to the Game Awards, with a handful of nominations and wins. But their best game to never win is Bloodborne. Set in a decrepit city full of beasts and monsters, the player travels to the location to find a miraculous cure. However, with a virus that turns people into creatures and the presence of Lovecraftian gods, getting that cure will prove difficult. Soulslike games are the biggest fad right now, and maybe if Bloodborne came out later, it could have won the award. Still, it was hard to beat The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt even with its amazing tone and gameplay. As a seminal souls-like games, the combat may be challenging, but it is rewarding in its own right. The setting and vibe are immaculate, brought to life through some stellar visuals. ‘Celeste’ (2018) Image via Extremely OK Games Indie games are more popular than ever, and this is reflected in the increasing number of games nominated for the big award, like Celeste. Wanting to prove something to herself, the character decides to climb the titular mountain. However, this only brings more trouble as she must face off against enemies and mysteries, including an evil doppelgänger of herself. Some indie games have won Game of the Year, but one leading candidate that didn’t was Celeste. The game has been renowned for its fluid gameplay and platforming controls, offering a polished form of traversal with just enough gimmicks to add to the fun. Celeste became one of the best indie video games because of this and its stellar narrative with relatable themes. ‘Ghost of Tsushima’ (2020) Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment The pandemic era caused a lot of pros and cons for gaming, meaning there weren’t as many titles that deserved the award. While a good game won, 2020 could have just as easily gone to Ghost of Tsushima. Set during the first Mongol invasion of Japan, it is about a lone warrior who must abandon his honorable tactics if he wants to save his homeland. With everyone indoors because of the pandemic, more people played video games than ever before, putting a spotlight on Ghost of Tsushima. The combat is unmatched compared to other efforts around this time, delivering a satisfying swordplay style that was swift, effective, and deeply rewarding. Many fans have this one as their Game of the Year, proving that it is a title that could have won the award. ‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’ (2018) Nintendo has a game nominated for Game of the Year almost every year, and in one instance it was Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Players can select from a massive roster of characters to fight as and drop into one of many Nintendo-themed stages. Battling against friends, family, strangers, or the computer, gamers get the best fighting experience possible. It is rare for a fighting game to win Game of the Year, but as unlikely as it was, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate deserved the honor more than anyone. It features one of the most sprawling video game rosters, with each character having unique movesets. Plus, the chaotic nature and the way it balances the game make it a video game that is a blast from start to finish. ‘Alan Wake 2’ (2023) Image via Remedy Entertainment 2023 was one of the best years for gaming in a long time, and one of the many games that deserved the award was Alan Wake 2. The titular character is a novelist who is trying to escape an alternate dimension and the many horrors inhabiting it. At the same time, an FBI agent is investigating a murder that strangely replicates one of Alan Wake’s horror novels. Alan Wake 2 is one of the most surreal game experiences fans will ever have, creating something that no other game can replicate. The vibe is terrifying yet intriguing, building its mystery plotline with unmatched narrative prestige. Alan Wake 2 also switches between 3D animation and real life to enhance its disorienting nature and give an even better sense of mystery. ‘Hades’ (2020) Image via Supergiant Games As mentioned earlier with Celeste, it isn’t common for indie games to win the award, but Hades is another game that got close. Zagreus is the son of Hades and is forever trapped in Hell, but when he learns that his mother may be kept hostage on Mount Olympus, he sets out on a death-defying quest to save her and escape the clutches of his evil father. Roguelike games are a polarizing genre because of their repetitiveness, but Hades avoids that by making it part of the narrative and letting players experiment with weapons and abilities. The gameplay is woven perfectly into the story, creating a masterful example of narrative design. Today, Hades remains a beloved video game, a celebrated indie masterpiece that should have been the Game of the Year. ‘Super Mario Odyssey’ (2017) Image via Nintendo 2017 was a big year for Nintendo, releasing the wildly successful Nintendo Switch and winning Game of the Year with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. But just as it won the award, it also took it away from Super Mario Odyssey. When Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach and forces her to marry him, Mario is on the case with the new hat that allows him to take over the bodies of his enemies. It may have been the most recent 3D Mario game, but it is almost ten years old (let that sink in). But as fans wait for the next game, they can find solace in the fact that Super Mario Odyssey is one of the best games on the console. It is a masterclass of platforming, boasting perfect controls and fluid movement that makes the stages and exploration even better, especially with the capture mechanic. ‘God of War Ragnarök’ (2022) Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment God of War has seen a modern resurgence, which includes the sequel, God of War Ragnarök. The prophesied disaster event, Ragnarök, is finally upon Kratos and Atreus, meaning they must fight against gods and warriors such as Thor, Freya, and Odin in order to defy their destiny and save the world at the same time. The 2018 original game was one of the best video games of the 2010s and rightfully earned its Game of the Year status; God of War Ragnarök, on the other hand, just fell short of claiming the title. It faced an impossible competitor in Elden Ring, but the game still boasts remarkably cathartic combat and cinematic visuals. What’s more, the narrative continues from the first game to end in a satisfying way that highlights its prestige. ‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’ (2023) Image via Nintendo Baldur’s Gate 3 was the obvious winner in 2023, but if it didn’t exist, the award probably would have gone to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. When Link and Zelda accidentally wake Ganondorf, he sends Zelda into the past and raises the castle into the sky, leading Link to find out how to stop him and get Zelda back. Breath of the Wild already won, so while it would have been greedy for Tears of the Kingdom to also win, it easily could have. The world is reused, but it was expanded upon to feel entirely new while also nostalgic. But the game also added a lot of new details, such as better bosses, an improved story, and engineering mechanics that gave players full agency to do whatever they wanted. Tears of the Kingdom is an experimental game in the form of a AAA open-world fantasy that would have won Game of the Year in any other year. ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ (2018) Image via Rockstar Games The Game Awards have mostly gotten it right according to popular opinion, but the most polarizing winner was God of War, which won over Red Dead Redemption 2. Arthur Morgan is a cowboy during the dying age of the Wild West, and when he learns of his tuberculosis diagnosis, he sets out on one last hoorah on a quest of redemption and forgiveness. Whether God of War or Red Dead Redemption 2 deserved the award more is beyond the point, but the fact is it’s probably the best game that never won Game of the Year. As Rockstar's greatest video game ever, it excels in worldbuilding and design, which immerses the player in their role and setting. Even without the award, Red Dead Redemption 2 has an insurmountable legacy that proves it is one of the best video games of all time.