- US-based developers have not succeeded at The Game Awards since The Last of Us Part 2.
- The last five Game of the Year wins have all come from Japan and Europe.
- This trend could change if GTA 6 lives up to expectations next year.
The Game Awards 2025 ended with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 being crowned Game of the Year. Elsewhere, the title swept up awards across various other categories, showing the dominance of French developer Sandfall Interactive.
On the subject of the French studio, the last few Game of the Year winners have all come from diverse global backgrounds. In fact, an American studio hasn’t had this award to its name since 2020.
Why it matters: Studios in America are among the biggest and most popular teams in the industry. They also show up frequently in game award shows, so this pattern for Game of the Year is certainly interesting.
In 2020, The Last of Us Part 2 took home this award, with Naughty Dog setting a new record at the event at the time. Since then, the following games have won the award:
- It Takes Two
- Elden Ring
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Astro Bot
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Two of these games, namely Elden Ring and Astro Bot, come from teams in Japan. All the other three were made by European studios. It Takes Two’s Hazelight Studios is based in Sweden, while Larian Studios, the team behind Baldur’s Gate 3, is located in Belgium.
Therefore, Western studios in America seem to be going through a Game of the Year drought at the moment. In the past, the likes of God of War and Overwatch took home this award for American teams.
Between 2016 and 2020, three American developers, including Activision Blizzard, Santa Monica Studio, and Naughty Dog, claimed this award. Although it has now been five years since America’s last Game of the Year win, this drought could very well be over by next year.
If the game does not get delayed, GTA 6 should qualify for The Game Awards 2026, and if the trailers are anything to go by, it could win Game of the Year.
Rockstar Games is much bigger than many of these studios, but its biggest subset of developers is based in the US, so a victory for the studio should qualify as one for American developers.
What do you think about American games failing to win a GOTY title in recent years? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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