Welcome to PC Gamer's annual Game of the Year Awards. Each day, for the rest of the month, we'll be unveiling a new award, with our ultimate Game of the Year to be revealed on December 31.
Here's how it works: each staff member was asked to nominate up to six games—including expansions and early access releases—that released this year. We then hopped onto a giant global call, and through a mixture of democracy, impassioned pleas and outright arguments, chose the games we wanted to honour with an award. Once we've chosen the games, we assign each an award name to fit it, which is why you'll see slightly different categories each year.
Alongside the main awards, each PC Gamer staff member has also picked a personal favourite of the year. We'll be updating this page with new awards and staff picks throughout the rest of the month, as they're unveiled.
The Awards
Best Ongoing Game: Final Fantasy XIV (opens in new tab)
Best Action Game: Hades (opens in new tab)
Best Roguelike: Spelunky 2 (opens in new tab)
Best Adventure Game: Paradise Killer (opens in new tab)
Best Co-op Game: Phasmophobia (opens in new tab)
Best Card Game: Monster Train (opens in new tab)
Best Innovation: Microsoft Flight Simulator (opens in new tab)
Best VR Game: Half-Life: Alyx (opens in new tab)
Best Multiplayer Game: Valorant (opens in new tab)
Best RPG: Assassin's Creed Valhalla (opens in new tab)
Best FPS: Doom Eternal (opens in new tab)
Best Strategy Game: Crusader Kings 3 (opens in new tab)
Game of the Year: Death Stranding (opens in new tab)
Staff Picks
Emma Matthews: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 (opens in new tab)
Fraser Brown: Cloudpunk (opens in new tab)
Rachel Watts: If Found...
Chris Livingston: Blaseball (opens in new tab)
Phil Savage: A Monster's Expedition (opens in new tab)
Robin Valentine: Deep Rock Galactic (opens in new tab)
Tim Clark: Destiny 2: Beyond Light (opens in new tab)
Jacob Ridley: Townscaper (opens in new tab)
Jorge Jimenez: Yakuza: Like a Dragon (opens in new tab)
James Davenport: Post Void (opens in new tab)
Evan Lahti: Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War/Warzone (opens in new tab)
Tyler Wilde: Disc Room (opens in new tab)
Wes Fenlon: Risk of Rain 2 (opens in new tab)
Alan Dexter: World of Warcraft: Shadowlands (opens in new tab)
Jody MacGregor: Fort Triumph (opens in new tab)
Harry Shepherd: Before I Forget (opens in new tab)
Andy Kelly: Black Mesa (opens in new tab)
Steven Messer: Genshin Impact (opens in new tab)
Past Awards
Game of the Year Awards 2019 (opens in new tab)
Game of the Year Awards 2018 (opens in new tab)
Game of the Year Awards 2017 (opens in new tab)
Game of the Year Awards 2016 (opens in new tab)
Game of the Year Awards 2015 (opens in new tab)
Game of the Year Awards 2014 (opens in new tab)
Game of the Year Awards 2013 (opens in new tab)
