Elden Ring, the 2022 mega-hit from FromSoftware, is on pace to win the most Game of the Year (GoTY) awards in video game history.
Researchers for the ResetEra community are compiling the award winners for the 2022 season. Between eligible critics, websites, and polls, Elden Ring has currently won 321 GotY awards. That is just short of 2020's The Last of Us Part II. The Naughty Dog title took home 322 awards.
The highlight may be its recent win at The Game Awards. Elden Ring was nominated for eight awards at this past year's show. It won four awards, including Best Art Direction, Best Roleplaying Game, and Game of the Year. Hidetaka Miyazaki took home an award as well for Best Direction.
Of note, the data at ResetEra notes certain websites or awards that aren't eligible. For example, any website or source with just one voting person isn't counted. Still, with more Game of the Year awards to be dished out, it's safe to say Elden Ring will keep taking home trophies.
People are also reading…
What's The Big Deal About Elden Ring, Anyway?
When video game maker FromSoftware announced they were teaming up with author George R. R. Martin of Game of Thrones fame for their next game,…
First revealed in 2019, Elden Ring was teased as a collaboration between FromSoftware and George R. R. Martin. After delays, developer silence, and speculation, we finally saw a new trailer two years later. Summer Game Fest 2021 confirmed what we all were hoping for: an open world FromSoftware game taking place in a brand new world.
During an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Martin discussed what he did for the game's development. He tells Colbert that he wrote a 5,000 year history for Elden Ring's lore. He praises FromSoftware for making one of the most beautiful games he has ever seen.
Martin admits, however, that he has not played it because "people seem to want this Winds of Winter book." He continues that due to his addictive personality, he has been sucked into games.
When Boss Level Gamer reviewed Elden Ring at the start of the year, we loved every minute of the experience. " Elden Ring is one of those rare moments that make you fall in love with gaming again," Ammar Kachwala said. "It strikes a perfect balance between old and new, between difficulty and accessibility, in a way that entices newcomers into the Souls genre without losing its identity in the process."
Souls games, the unofficial moniker for FromSoftware developed games, have a reputation for being brutally difficult. However, Elden Ring' s ability to keep the challenging foundation while making the game more accessible has resulted in a smash hit. Combine that with the open world fans have always dreamed of, and it's no wonder why the game is winning so many awards.
Examining The Other Best Games of 2022
After Elden Ring, God of War Ragnarök has the second most Game of the Year awards with 74. It's another steep drop-off after that. Immortality is in third place with six awards. Pentiment, Horizon: Forbidden West, and Xenoblade: Chronicles 3 have four. A Plague Tale: Requiem, Citizen Sleeper, and Vampire Survivors have three. Seventeen other games round out the list with one award.
Elden Ring is also the top-rated new game on Metacritic for 2022. With a Metascore of 96 on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, it beats every other new game released last year. Technically, it's tied with the Portal Companion Collection for Nintendo Switch. But, honestly, we're just arguing semantics here. The PC version is right behind the console titles with a Metascore of 94.
In terms of other top-rated new games in 2022, God of War Ragnarök, Dwarf Fortress, and Chained Echoes all rank in the top five. Cuphead in the Delicious Last Course, the new DLC release for Cuphead, rounds out the top five. Critics also loved the PC port for God of War, Persona 5 Royal, and the next-gen update for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
22 great games from 2022
Lost Ark
This free to play MMORPG came out early in 2022, and features a fantastic story. Choose your class, and set off on adventure.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human
A post-apocalyptic survival game. Become a parkour master and battle the zombies that have taken over the planet.
Elden Ring
A beautiful and difficult role playing game from the makers of Dark Souls. Multiple publications named Elden Ring their game of the year, including The Game Awards. Read our Elden Ring guide.
Evil Dead: The Game
A 4v1 multiplayer game similar to Dead by Daylight set in the Evil Dead universe. Groovy.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderland
This spinoff of the Borderland series finds you playing a unique version of Dungeons and Dragons in a world created by one of the characters. A unique story in a looter shooter.
Neon White
Part roguelike, part speed run, you play as a sinner brought to heaven to destroy a demon invasion. Best your adversaries for a chance to remain there.
Stray
You are just a cat in a cyberpunk dystopian world trying to find your way home. Read our full review.
TMNT: Shredder's Revenge
An old school side-scrolling beat ‘em up based on the classic arcade game. Play solo or with friends.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Assemble a group of characters and try to stop the perpetual war that has raged for decades. Not a direct sequel to the other Xenoblade games, so anyone can jump into this JRPG.
Circus Electrique
Help save the circus and London from the maddening with help from the performers. Bring a group on your quest to determine what is happening in the city, while others perform and raise money to keep the circus afloat.
Vampire Survivors
A quick-playing roguelike where the goal is to stay alive as long as possible against increasingly difficult waves of enemies.
Grounded
Honey I Shrunk the Kids: the game. You are children who are somehow shrunk in your backyard. Survive and try to find out how to regain normal size.
Norco
Something strange is going on in your hometown of Norco, Louisiana. Can you find out the cause? A beautiful point-and-click adventure.
Somerville
Aliens invaded and your family is missing. Solve puzzles using newfound powers to reunite your family. Read our review.
Goat Simulator 3
You are a goat who likes to cause trouble in your new town. Complete quests, solve puzzles, find sweet prizes and destroy your community. Read the full review.
More Tales from the Borderlands
The second narrative adventure in the Borderlands universe tells the tale of some of the people who live there, but are not the heroes who live their life for adventure.
Atari 50: the Anniversary Celebration
A digital interactive history of Atari featuring interviews, timelines, artwork, and yes some of their most popular games for users to play. Read our full review.
Tunic
Reminiscent of Zenda games, you are a fox setting out on adventure to find out more about the mystical land where you reside.
God of War Ragnarök
The sequel to the 2018 reboot continues the story of Kratos and Atreus in their battle against the Nordic gods.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
The first open world RPG in the Pokémon series. Can you catch them all?
Gotham Knights
Batman is deceased, and it is up to his allies to clean up the town and investigate his death. Read our full review.
The Callisto Protocol
Can you escape the prison moon of Jupiter in this survival horror game from one of the creators of Dead Space?
