Evolution of Game of the Year Winners 1980–2025

This is the complete evolution of Game of the Year winners, from the golden age of arcades to modern blockbuster releases.

Across more than four decades, these games didn’t just win awards, they defined their eras, introduced new ideas, and shaped how games are made and played today.

From simple maze chases and platformers to expansive open worlds and story-driven epics, this video traces how gaming’s most celebrated titles evolved year by year, highlighting the moments that changed everything.

What you’ll see in this documentary:
• Original gameplay footage from every Game of the Year
• A clear, chronological timeline from 1980 to 2025
• A balanced mix of gameplay audio and narration (real voice, AI is never used)
• A clean, easy-to-follow presentation designed for long-form viewing

There’s no single GOTY authority, especially in the early years. This video is based on aggregated winners from major awards and publications, weighted by total wins and source importance. Sources include Golden Joystick, Famitsu / Japan Game Awards (CESA), major gaming magazines, and later The Game Awards. Wikipedia was used as a starting point, with each year cross-checked individually.

This is not a personal favorites list. Close years include nominees to reflect how competitive those years were.

📌 ALL GOTY Games:
0:00 1980 - Pac-Man - Arcade (Namco)
0:34 1981 - Donkey Kong - Arcade (Nintendo)
0:58 1982 - Pole Position - Arcade (Namco, Atari)
01:21 1983 - Dragon’s Lair - Arcade (LaserDisc)
01:48 1984 - Knight Lore - ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro, Commodore 64
02:05 1985 - Super Mario Bros. - NES (Nintendo Entertainment System)
02:25 1986 - The Legend of Zelda - NES
02:48 1987 - Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! - NES
03:19 1988 - Super Mario Bros. 3 - NES
03:43 1989 - Tetris - Game Boy (notably), NES .etc.
04:01 1990 - Super Mario World - SNES
04:24 1991 - Sonic the Hedgehog - Sega Genesis / Mega Drive
04:43 1992 - Street Fighter II - Arcade, SNES, Genesis, PC
05:11 1993 - DOOM - MS-DOS (PC)
05:36 1994 - Donkey Kong Country - SNES
05:57 1995 - Twisted Metal - PlayStation
06:28 1996 - Super Mario 64 - Nintendo 64
06:54 1997 - GoldenEye 007 - Nintendo 64
07:21 1998 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Nintendo 64
07:47 1999 - SoulCalibur - Dreamcast
08:18 2000 - The Sims - PC
08:41 2001 - Halo: Combat Evolved - Xbox & PC
09:06 2002 - Metroid Prime - Nintendo GameCube
09:36 2003 - Call of Duty - PC
09:57 2004 - Half-Life 2 - PC, Xbox, XB360 & PS3
10:26 2005 - Resident Evil 4 - GameCube, PS2 & PC
10:49 2006 - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - PC, XB360 & PS3
11:23 2007 - BioShock - PC, XB360 & PS3
11:58 2008 - Grand Theft Auto IV - PC, XB360 & PS3
12:31 2009 - Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - PS3
13:08 2010 - Red Dead Redemption - XB360, PS3 & PC
13:37 2011 - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - PC, XB360 & PS3
14:00 2012 - The Walking Dead (Season One) - PC, XB360 & PS3
14:49 2013 - The Last of Us - PS3
15:22 2014 - Dragon Age: Inquisition - PS3, PS4, XB360, XB1 & PC
16:00 2015 - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - PS4, XB1 & PC
16:35 2016 - Overwatch - PS4, XB1 & PC
16:56 2017 - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Switch & Wii U
17:19 2018 - God of War - PS4
18:01 2019 - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - PS4, XB1 & PC
18:25 2020 - The Last of Us Part II - PS4
18:58 2021 - It Takes Two - PS4, PS5, XB1, XBS X/S, Switch & PC
19:35 2022 - Elden Ring - PS4, PS5, XB1, XBS X/S & PC
19:56 2023 - Baldur’s Gate 3 - PC, PS5 & XBS X/S
20:27 2024 - Astro Bot - PS5
20:49 2025 - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - PS5, XBS X/S & PC

---------
All footage in this video was played, captured, and edited by me, using original hardware, emulation and modern systems where appropriate.
Everything is presented in high-quality 4K with consistent frame rates, keeping the timeline smooth and enjoyable to watch.
Whether you grew up with arcade cabinets, Super Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox, or PC - or you’re discovering these classics for the first time - this video is a celebration of the games that truly stood above the rest.
---------

On Game Evolutions, We explore the history of gaming and computer graphics through carefully researched, documentary-style videos. From classic games like FIFA and Age of Empires to groundbreaking technology like RTX graphics and modern game engines, my goal is to preserve gaming history in the most engaging way possible.


🔔 If you enjoyed this video, check out my other Evolutions - and don’t forget to subscribe for more!

▶️ Watch the full Game Evolutions Playlist:
   • All Game Evolutions