[Update-9:43pm, Dec 7] Our prediction is correct! 

The Game Awards is only a few days away and people have been talking about which games will win in the event’s 29 categories. Of course, the Game of the Year award is the most coveted recognition a game can receive and we at GameTyrant will share our prediction on who we think deserves this year’s GOTY. In case you were wondering on what the Game Awards is all about, check out our guide here to know more on the full list of nominees, the presenters, and when and where the event will take place. 

First things first, so that we are all on the same page, here are the Game Awards’ nominees for GOTY:

• Horizon Zero Dawn
• Persona 5
• PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
• Super Mario Odyssey
• The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

So just like any group of friends, my colleagues and I at GameTyrant have been debating on which game deserves the title of Game Of The Year, and to settle the dispute, I conducted a simple poll, for our team to vote on which game they want to win. Before I reveal our prediction for GOTY, let’s talk about what makes a game eligible for the title. 

Exploring the Game Awards website, there is no specific information or criteria on what a game should embody to win the award, besides that they recognize games that “upholds creative and technical excellence in the global video game industry", specifics were not given. The winners are chosen by a group of selected jurors and through a public vote. However personally, I think a game should excel in these three basic categories, intuitive gameplay, an epic narrative, and good replay value, but that’s just my two cents. 

So with that in mind, here is our pick for the Game Award’s Game of the Year:

I know, The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild is probably one of the most obvious choices to win among the nominees. I myself voted for this game because it embodies, although not perfectly, the features that I think makes it the best among the rest. Firstly, Breath Of The Wild introduced the first Zelda game to have a non-linear story progression. The best thing about its gameplay is that it never tells you what to do. The game leaves it up to the player to figure out how they want to progress in the game.

This feature makes it fun to explore the world of Hyrule, because you control how you play the game, and not the other way around. When it comes to the game’s story, it follows the basic formula that is present in past Zelda titles. Although it is still interesting enough, to see through the end. Lastly, we all know that majority of the Switch’s success is played in part by Breath of the Wild. It literally sold the console on its initial run, which makes it a very strong contender to win the award. In case you’re still not convinced, check out our review of the game here. 

So there you have it, that is our prediction on who could win this year’s Game Of The Year by The Game Awards. What are your predictions? Do you have another game in mind that is more deserving? Tell us below.