Game Awards: Five Most Controversial Wins

You want to stir up a debate? Nothing fires up gamers more than arguing about who really deserved to win Game of the Year at The Game Awards. Every winter, millions tune in for this industry showdown, but only one title walks away with that golden trophy. And almost every year, the internet explodes—not just with celebration, but with controversy, outrage, and endless threads dissecting every choice. So, get ready for my countdown of the most controversial Game Awards 'Game of the Year' winners, the snubs that haunt forums, and the fan wars that followed.

At number five, let’s set the stage: The Game Awards isn’t just a flashy show—it’s the closest thing games have to the Oscars. Since its launch in 2014, it’s been hosted and produced by Geoff Keighley, whose name is now practically an institution in gaming. What makes the top prize so divisive? The winner is picked by a blend of international media jurors and, in some years, public voting. That formula means passionate fanbases can have a real influence, but also that every win comes with its own cloud of debate and suspicion. Critics have accused the show of favoring blockbuster hits or certain genres, while defenders insist the process rewards true excellence across the industry.

Number four: 2019, the year FromSoftware’s 'Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice' took home Game of the Year. Nobody doubted Sekiro was an achievement—it’s a brutally difficult action game set in Sengoku-era Japan, famous for its demanding combat. But its win shocked many because industry heavyweights like 'Death Stranding' and 'Control' were considered front-runners. 'Death Stranding' especially had the hype: directed by Hideo Kojima, starring Hollywood faces like Norman Reedus, and backed by a massive marketing push. 'Control' was a critical darling too, praised for its surreal design. When Sekiro won, some fans celebrated it as a victory for challenging, single-player experiences, but others felt it snubbed more “cinematic” or innovative contenders. The debate exposed a deep divide over what kind of games deserve top honors—do we reward technical mastery, artistic ambition, or sheer impact?

Number three: 2020, and here’s where things get messy. 'The Last of Us Part II' from Naughty Dog wins Game of the Year, igniting the most heated backlash in the history of the show. Released on June 19, 2020, the game’s narrative choices divided players right down the middle. The plot opens with the shocking death of Joel, the beloved protagonist from the first game, at the hands of Abby Anderson. This single event triggered a maelstrom of internet fury, not only among fans but within Naughty Dog itself—reports indicate the studio was split over this decision. Players are then required to control Abby for a significant chunk of the story, a twist that some saw as a masterstroke of empathy and others considered a betrayal of the original duo, Joel and Ellie.

The controversy deepened when Ellie’s sexuality and her relationship with Dina became focal points. While some saw this as overdue representation, others criticized the handling or objected for less savory reasons. Lev, a transgender male character, also drew both praise and controversy, with debates about the sensitivity of his portrayal and the use of deadnaming. Abby’s muscular build became a flashpoint for misogynistic trolls and conspiracy theories about her gender, leading to real-world harassment of voice actress Laura Bailey, who received death threats.

The outrage didn’t stop at story choices. When 'The Last of Us Part II' won Game of the Year, fans of 'Ghost of Tsushima'—another major nominee—cried foul, with some accusing the process of bias. The backlash was so fierce that the game was targeted by coordinated review bombing, crashing its Metacritic user score even as critics gave it near-universal acclaim. According to a study published on April 11, 2023, this backlash included widespread online harassment and conspiratorial theories about the game’s intent, marketing, and the motives behind its win.

Sliding into number two: 2021, when Hazelight Studios’ 'It Takes Two' snatched the Game of the Year award. This co-op adventure game, built around the premise that two players must work together to navigate a crumbling marriage, beat out heavy-hitting competitors like 'Resident Evil Village.' Many fans were stunned; 'It Takes Two' came from a much smaller studio and lacked the blockbuster pedigree of the usual winners. Critics of the choice argued that the show favored “quirky indies” for the sake of seeming diverse, while defenders saw it as long-overdue validation for cooperative play and creative risk-taking. The win reignited accusations that The Game Awards sometimes lean too hard in one direction—either big-budget, established franchises or underdog indies—never quite pleasing everyone.

And that brings us to number one—the most debated, dissected, and downright controversial Game of the Year winner in the show’s history: 'The Last of Us Part II.' No other title on this list matches the scale of its fallout. Beyond just winning in a hotly competitive year, it became the epicenter of a culture war over what stories games should tell, who gets to be the hero, and how much fan expectations should shape a sequel. Its story choices—starting with Joel’s death and the dual protagonist structure—polarized the fandom on a scale rarely seen. Internal Naughty Dog sources described the development team as split over the game’s direction, and the internet’s reaction included review bombing campaigns, social media harassment, and the publication of at least one academic study analyzing the toxic responses and conspiratorial backlash.

When 'The Last of Us Part II' was crowned Game of the Year, the controversy outlasted the ceremony by years. The debate wasn’t just about whether it deserved the trophy—it was about whether the Game Awards themselves could ever reflect the true voice of players, or if the process is doomed to fuel “alt-fandom” culture wars every year.

So, which snub still haunts you? Was Sekiro’s win an upset or just overdue recognition? Should 'It Takes Two' have beaten big-budget horror? Or do you think 'The Last of Us Part II' winning was a necessary step forward, or a decision that tore the gaming community apart? Jump in, disagree, or give me your own ranking of the most controversial Game of the Year decisions. The debate isn’t ending any time soon.