games that deserved goty but got robbed

Mon,Feb 09 ,2026

The GOTY Snubs: Masterpieces That Didn’t Need a Trophy

​The Game of the Year award is the highest honor in the industry, but history is filled with legendary titles that walked away empty-handed. From the hyper-realism of the Wild West to the visceral rhythm of demon-slaying, these games defined their eras despite losing the top spot.

​Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018)

​Lost to: God of War

​The Verdict: With unparalleled world detail, the “gold standard” of open-world realism, and a narrative masterpiece in Arthur Morgan, this loss remains one of the most debated moments in gaming history.

​Ghost of Tsushima (2020)

​Lost to: The Last of Us Part II

​The Verdict: Boasting clean combat, a breathtaking art style, and an unforgettable samurai atmosphere, fans still argue that Jin Sakai’s journey deserved the win.

​Doom Eternal (2020)

​The Result: Didn’t win.

​The Verdict: Featuring arguably the best FPS gameplay loop ever created and a pulse-pounding soundtrack, it proved that pure action design rarely gets the “prestige” respect it deserves.

​The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023)

​Lost to: Baldur’s Gate 3

​The Verdict: Unmatched creativity and a physics engine that defied logic. However, the RPG dominance and sheer scale of BG3 proved to be an unstoppable force.

​Horizon Zero Dawn (2017)

​Lost to: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

​The Verdict: A unique “primitive-future” world with tight combat. It was a masterpiece that unfortunately launched alongside a game that changed the industry forever.

​Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018)

​The Result: Didn’t win.

​The Verdict: Iconic web-swinging and a cinematic story that rivaled the best of the MCU. It simply had the “bad luck” of releasing in 2018, one of the most stacked years in history.

​WHICH GAME WAS THE BIGGEST ROBBERY?

A) Red Dead Redemption 2

B) Ghost of Tsushima

C) TOTK

D) Spider-Man

E) Doom Eternal