The Game of the Year ceremony concluded on the night of December 12th, culminating with the most anticipated announcement of the year—at least for gaming enthusiasts: Which game would take home the coveted "Game of the Year" (GoTY) title?

However, the reveal came as a shock to many in the community. Astro Bot was named Game of the Year, a title largely underlooked and regarded by most as the biggest underdog among the six nominees.

Astro Bot won against immensely popular names such as the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree and Black Myth: Wukong. Instantly, debates ignited, with strong opinions emerging against the unexpected victory of Astro Bot.

Also Read: Why Did Astro Bot Win at The Game Awards?

Gaming Community Raises Eyebrows Over Astro Bot GOTY Win

Following the announcement, tons of comments disagreed and questioned the decision. Is Astro Bot's win deserved, especially among the other nominees? As someone who may be terminally online, the game title was definitely overshadowed by mentions of Elden Ring and Black Myth: Wukong. A lot of streamers and content creators were even predicting that one of these would grab the "Game of the Year" crown.

A user posted: "[Astro Bot] winning game of the year over [Black Myth: Wukong] is crazy."

Another user mentioned: "Black Myth: Wukong got robbed."

A more neutral comment acknowledged Astro Bot but they were still surprised over the win: "I mean, Astro Bot is a very good game, but it was certainly unexpected that it won."

The sentiment is shared not only on X/Twitter but also all over Reddit, especially in the r/gaming sub. People weren't convinced that an easy-going game like Astro Bot could top these popular soulslike genre games.

Astro Bot's Exclusive Status Questioned

What makes the situation even more surprising to the community is that Astro Bot is a PlayStation-exclusive, meaning it can only be played by those who own the console. This exclusivity limits the game's accessibility, leaving many people unaware of or unable to play it.

"Still sucks you have to own a PS5 to even play this "Game of the Year", kinda would love to play, but its an exclusive," a Reddit user commented.

With other nominees like Metaphor: ReFantazio and Balatro available on multiple platforms, many believed they would earn "accessibility points" as a form of passive merit. However, in fairness, accessibility was never explicitly stated as a criterion, nor was it mentioned as such.

What Criteria Determine the Winner of 'Game of the Year'?

The Game Awards has not fully explained the process for selecting winners. The Game of the Year award is simply described as going to the game that provides the best experience. While this is subjective, it suggests that Astro Bot's win could be justified from that perspective.

According to Wikipedia, "The Game Award for Game of the Year is given to a video game judged to deliver the best experience across creative and technical fields."

A Look at Astro Bot

Astro Bot is a 3D-platformer game that comes with the PlayStation 5. The game is designated to really utilize the PS5's DualSense controller, particularly its advanced features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Developed by Team ASOBI, the game follows Astro, a small robot mascot, as he explores various levels inspired by PlayStation’s history.

The game has about 8 hour of game-time which is relatively short compared to most top games nowadays. But it offers a packed and nostalgic gameplay which sees a lot of great feedback from players. 

"Astro Bot gave me a joy I haven't felt gaming in a long time. Hope it sells more now,' a Reddit user commented.

Another user replied, "My experience as well. I can't remember the last time I played a game that made me experience as much joy as I got from playing Astro Bot. Like, I was literally smiling and giggling like a child while I was playing the game. It was 'fun' in the most literal sense of the word." 

Although not many players have heard of Astro Bot, leading to the waves of backlash, it's clear that the playerbase had a great experience playing the game and it quite literally is the only criteria mentioned for "Game of the Year".  

A lot of points stand for both sides of the argument. But which game do you think deserve "Game of the Year".

Also Read: Astro Bot Honest Review