QUICKIE: A Short History of Gaming's Biggest Award.
Introduction
The "Game of the Year" (or GOTY) award is a prestigious accolade given to the best video game released each year. It is an honor that is highly sought after by game developers, as it can boost sales and increase the popularity of a game.
Origins 📖
The origins of the GOTY award can be traced back to the early days of video gaming, when video games were first gaining mainstream popularity. In the 1980s, a number of different publications and organizations began to recognize the best video games of the year with their own awards.
One of the first organizations to offer a GOTY award was the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), which was founded in 1996. The AIAS hosts the annual D.I.C.E. Awards, which includes a GOTY category.
Other awards 🏆
Another influential early GOTY award was the Golden Joystick Awards, which was created in 1983 by the British magazine Computer and Video Games (CVG). The Golden Joystick Awards is the world's longest-running annual video game event, and it continues to recognize the best games of the year to this day.
In addition to the AIAS and the Golden Joystick Awards, other organizations that have offered GOTY awards include the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), the Game Developers Conference (GDC), and the Interactive Achievement Awards (IAA).
Over the years, the GOTY award has evolved and expanded to include different categories, such as "Best Action/Adventure Game" and "Best Multiplayer Game." It has also become increasingly competitive, with many high-quality games being released each year.
Previous winners 📃
Some of the most notable games that have won the GOTY award include Half-Life (1998), The Last of Us (2013), and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017). These games are widely considered to be some of the greatest video games of all time, and their GOTY wins helped to solidify their place in video game history.
In recent years, the GOTY award has also become more inclusive, with more diverse games and developers being recognized for their achievements. This has led to a wider range of games being recognized and celebrated, which has helped to broaden the appeal of the award.
Conclusion 💡
Overall, the GOTY award has a long and storied history, and it continues to be an important recognition for the best video games of the year. As the video game industry continues to grow and evolve, the GOTY award will no doubt continue to play a significant role in recognizing and celebrating the best games and developers in the industry.