The Game Developers Choice Award for the Game of the Year, also known as GDCA Game of the Year, is the main video game award presented at the Game Developers Conference (GDC), the largest annual gathering of professional video game developers. The conference, usually held in or around March in San Francisco, presents the award as part of the Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA), a series of awards honoring outstanding achievements in video game design for games released during the previous calendar year. It has been awarded since 2001.
Only four studios have won the award more than once: Valve, for Half-Life 2 (2004) and Portal (2007) Bethesda Game Studios, for Fallout 3 (2008) and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) Naughty Dog, for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009) and The Last of Us (2013) Rockstar Games, for Grand Theft Auto III (2001) and Red Dead Redemption (2010)
The most successful video game publisher to date is Sony Interactive Entertainment with 13 nominations and 4 wins, followed by Nintendo (11 nominations, 1 win), Electronic Arts (8 nominations and 1 win) and Rockstar Games (7 nominations and 2 wins). Indie games have won the award 5 times: Journey (published by Sony Interactive Entertainment) in 2012, Untitled Goose Game in 2019, Hades in 2020, Inscryption in 2021, and Balatro in 2024.
List of winners 2000s Note: From 2005 to 2007 the award was titled Best Game. Years listed represent calendar years for which the awards were given. Ceremonies are usually held in March the following year.
YearGameDeveloper(s)Publisher(s) 2000(1st)The SimsMaxisElectronic ArtsDeus ExIon StormEidos InteractiveJet Set RadioSmilebitSegaNo One Lives ForeverMonolith ProductionsFox InteractiveShenmueSega AM2Sega 2001(2nd)Grand Theft Auto IIIDMA DesignRockstar GamesBlack & WhiteLionhead StudiosElectronic ArtsHalo: Combat EvolvedBungieMicrosoft Game StudiosIcoTeam IcoSony Computer EntertainmentMax PayneRemedy EntertainmentGathering of Developers / Rockstar Games 2002(3rd)Metroid PrimeRetro StudiosNintendoBattlefield 1942Digital IllusionsElectronic ArtsGrand Theft Auto: Vice CityRockstar NorthRockstar GamesNeverwinter NightsBioWareAtariTom Clancy's Splinter CellUbisoft MontrealUbisoft 2003(4th)Star Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicBioWareLucasArtsBeyond Good & EvilUbisoft Montpellier / Ubisoft MilanUbisoftCall of DutyInfinity WardActivisionPrince of Persia: The Sands of TimeUbisoft MontrealUbisoftThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind WakerNintendo EADNintendo 2004(5th)Half-Life 2ValveValveBurnout 3: TakedownCriterion GamesElectronic ArtsGrand Theft Auto: San AndreasRockstar NorthRockstar GamesKatamari DamacyNamcoNamcoWorld of WarcraftBlizzard EntertainmentBlizzard Entertainment 2005(6th)Shadow of the ColossusTeam IcoSony Computer EntertainmentAnimal Crossing: Wild WorldNintendo EADNintendoGod of WarSanta Monica StudioSony Computer EntertainmentGuitar HeroHarmonixRedOctaneThe MoviesLionhead StudiosActivision 2006(7th)Gears of WarEpic GamesMicrosoft Game StudiosThe Elder Scrolls IV: OblivionBethesda Game StudiosBethesda SoftworksThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight PrincessNintendo EADNintendoŌkamiClover StudioCapcomWii SportsNintendo EADNintendo 2007(8th)PortalValveValveBioShock2K Boston / 2K Australia2K GamesCall of Duty 4: Modern WarfareInfinity WardActivisionRock BandHarmonixMTV Games / Electronic ArtsSuper Mario GalaxyNintendo EAD TokyoNintendo 2008(9th)Fallout 3Bethesda Game StudiosBethesda SoftworksFable IILionhead StudiosMicrosoft Game StudiosGrand Theft Auto IVRockstar NorthRockstar GamesLittleBigPlanetMedia MoleculeSony Computer EntertainmentLeft 4 DeadTurtle Rock StudiosValve 2009(10th)Uncharted 2: Among ThievesNaughty DogSony Computer EntertainmentAssassin's Creed IIUbisoft MontrealUbisoftBatman: Arkham AsylumRocksteady StudiosEidos Interactive / Warner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentDemon's SoulsFromSoftwareSony Computer EntertainmentDragon Age: OriginsBioWareElectronic Arts
2010s YearGameDeveloper(s)Publisher(s) 2010(11th)Red Dead RedemptionRockstar San DiegoRockstar GamesAssassin's Creed: BrotherhoodUbisoft MontrealUbisoftCall of Duty: Black OpsTreyarchActivisionLimboPlaydeadPlaydeadMass Effect 2BioWareElectronic Arts 2011(12th)The Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimBethesda Game StudiosBethesda SoftworksBatman: Arkham CityRocksteady StudiosWarner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentDark SoulsFromSoftwareNamco Bandai GamesDeus Ex: Human RevolutionEidos MontréalSquare EnixPortal 2ValveValve 2012(13th)JourneyThatgamecompanySony Computer EntertainmentDishonoredArkane StudiosBethesda SoftworksMass Effect 3BioWareElectronic ArtsThe Walking DeadTelltale GamesTelltale GamesXCOM: Enemy UnknownFiraxis Games2K Games 2013(14th)The Last of UsNaughty DogSony Computer EntertainmentGone HomeThe Fullbright CompanyThe Fullbright CompanyGrand Theft Auto VRockstar NorthRockstar GamesSuper Mario 3D WorldNintendo EAD TokyoNintendoTomb RaiderCrystal DynamicsSquare Enix 2014(15th)Middle-earth: Shadow of MordorMonolith ProductionsWarner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentAlien: IsolationCreative AssemblySegaBayonetta 2PlatinumGamesNintendoDestinyBungieActivisionHearthstoneBlizzard EntertainmentBlizzard Entertainment 2015(16th)The Witcher 3: Wild HuntCD Projekt RedCD ProjektBloodborneFromSoftwareSony Computer EntertainmentFallout 4Bethesda Game StudiosBethesda SoftworksMetal Gear Solid V: The Phantom PainKojima ProductionsKonamiRocket LeaguePsyonixPsyonix 2016(17th)OverwatchBlizzard EntertainmentBlizzard EntertainmentDishonored 2Arkane StudiosBethesda SoftworksFirewatchCampo SantoPanicInsidePlaydeadPlaydeadUncharted 4: A Thief's EndNaughty DogSony Interactive Entertainment 2017(18th)The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildNintendo EPDNintendo Horizon Zero DawnGuerrilla GamesSony Interactive EntertainmentNier: AutomataPlatinumGamesSquare EnixPlayerUnknown's BattlegroundsPUBG CorporationPUBG CorporationSuper Mario OdysseyNintendo EPDNintendo 2018(19th)God of WarSanta Monica StudioSony Interactive Entertainment CelesteMaddy Makes GamesMaddy Makes GamesMarvel's Spider-ManInsomniac GamesSony Interactive EntertainmentRed Dead Redemption 2Rockstar GamesRockstar GamesReturn of the Obra DinnLucas Pope3909 LLC 2019(20th)Untitled Goose GameHouse HousePanic ControlRemedy Entertainment505 GamesDeath StrandingKojima ProductionsSony Interactive EntertainmentSekiro: Shadows Die TwiceFromSoftwareActivisionOuter WildsMobius DigitalAnnapurna Interactive
2020s YearGameDeveloper(s)Publisher(s) 2020(21st)HadesSupergiant GamesSupergiant GamesAnimal Crossing: New HorizonsNintendo EPDNintendoGhost of TsushimaSucker Punch ProductionsSony Interactive EntertainmentHalf-Life: AlyxValveValveThe Last of Us Part IINaughty DogSony Interactive Entertainment 2021(22nd)InscryptionDaniel Mullins GamesDevolver Digital DeathloopArkane StudiosBethesda SoftworksForza Horizon 5Playground GamesXbox Game StudiosIt Takes TwoHazelight StudiosElectronic ArtsResident Evil VillageCapcomCapcom 2022(23rd)Elden RingFromSoftwareBandai Namco Entertainment God of War RagnarökSanta Monica StudioSony Interactive EntertainmentImmortalitySam BarlowHalf Mermaid ProductionsPentimentObsidian EntertainmentXbox Game StudiosStrayBlueTwelve StudioAnnapurna InteractiveTunicFinjiFinji 2023(24th)Baldur's Gate 3Larian StudiosLarian StudiosCocoonGeometric InteractiveAnnapurna InteractiveDave the DiverMintrocketMintrocketDredgeBlack Salt GamesTeam17Marvel's Spider-Man 2Insomniac GamesSony Interactive EntertainmentThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomNintendo EPDNintendo 2024(25th)BalatroLocalThunkPlaystackAstro BotTeam AsobiSony Interactive EntertainmentBlack Myth: WukongGame ScienceGame ScienceFinal Fantasy VII RebirthSquare EnixSquare EnixHelldivers 2Arrowhead Game StudiosSony Interactive EntertainmentMetaphor: ReFantazioStudio ZeroAtlus, Sega 2025(26th)Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Sandfall InteractiveKepler InteractiveBlue PrinceDogubombRaw FuryDonkey Kong BananzaNintendo EPDNintendoGhost of YōteiSucker Punch ProductionsSony Interactive EntertainmentHollow Knight: SilksongTeam CherryTeam CherrySplit Fiction Hazelight StudiosElectronic Arts
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