Many believe that The Game Awards' battle for GOTY will come down toElden RingandGod of War Ragnarok, and while there are a few caveats to this argument, it would seem thatElden Ringalready has the upper hand. The biggest caveat ahead of this December 2022 event is thatGod of War Ragnarokis not out yet. It should make the cut-off before any nominations are announced, but many believe it will be great because the prior game was great. This logic, however common, also led to many believingCyberpunk 2077would be a GOTY contender becauseThe Witcher 3won it too.
That’s not to compareGod of War RagnaroktoCyberpunk 2077of course, and with everything revealed so far, predictingGod of War Ragnarokwill be a GOTY contender is by no means illogical. It’s just a caveat to the conversation. However,Elden Ringhas the upper hand going into The Game Awards and will likely see theFromSoftware Souls titletake GOTY, as well as other categories, away from its competitors, includingGod of War Ragnarok. God of War 2018andSekiro Shadows Die Twicehave both previously won this award, but the context here is a little different than in those years.
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Elden Ring Has Dominated the Gaming Industry in 2022
GOTY, at The Game Awards, is given to a “game that delivers the absolute best experience across all creative and technical fields.” These were the very fieldsElden Ringwas praised for, with its accessible approach to a difficult genre, its inspiring take on open-world games, and its perplexing but creative lore. But beyond just that, it’s a safe betElden Ringwill see other nominations for aspects like art direction, roleplaying game, soundtrack, game direction, and many more. It’s not uncommon to see one title sweep these categories and claim numerous awards, likeThe Last of Us 2did at The Game Awards 2020, butElden Ring is a shoo-in for these categories and is likely to win as many of them.
God of War Ragnarokis coming in hot off the 2018 game, which means many will be looking at how it improves over the sequel. The narrative is promising, newGod of War Ragnarokcombat detailsare enticing, and with the pedigree of Santa Monica, it releasing in November and making it into The Game Awards is not just likely, it’s bound to happen. It’s no secret that the fall is the busiest season in the gaming industry, andGod of War Ragnarokis likely going to power through many other titles. Releasing in November meansGod of War Ragnarokwill be fresher on the mind than many other titles, which bodes well for its own awards compared to some titles, but not compared toElden Ring.
At Least Two Great Games Will Battle It Out for GOTY at The Game Awards
God of War Ragnarokcan be the game of the fall, even if that is still just a bet at this phase, but this award is for Game of the Year. AndElden Ringhas broken sales records, inspired fans, brought more into the Soulsborne genre, and otherwise dominated conversations for weeks and months on end. There’s no “time or influence” qualifier for The Game Awards' GOTY and there shouldn’t be, as games like God of War Ragnarok and many others will offer quality experiences at the tail end of the year, but that’s something hard to ignore too.
God of War Ragnarokseems destined to be a great game, and it’s likely that the story ofKratos and Atreuswill touch as many fans' hearts as the first title. One could argue that, if it’s as good as fans hope, TGA should consider giving away two GOTY Awards for the first time ever. That’s not going to happen though, and the committee will have to pick between several games, likely includingElden RingandGod of War Ragnarok. AndElden Ringis not something that can be ignored–it remains to be seen how it all plays out, but betting onElden Ringwinning GOTY is not a bad decision.
Elden Ringis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
