Game of the Year Awards 2020

goty 2020
(Image credit: Future)

Welcome to PC Gamer's annual Game of the Year Awards. Each day, for the rest of the month, we'll be unveiling a new award, with our ultimate Game of the Year to be revealed on December 31.

Here's how it works: each staff member was asked to nominate up to six games—including expansions and early access releases—that released this year. We then hopped onto a giant global call, and through a mixture of democracy, impassioned pleas and outright arguments, chose the games we wanted to honour with an award. Once we've chosen the games, we assign each an award name to fit it, which is why you'll see slightly different categories each year.

Alongside the main awards, each PC Gamer staff member has also picked a personal favourite of the year. We'll be updating this page with new awards and staff picks throughout the rest of the month, as they're unveiled.

The Awards

Best Ongoing Game: Final Fantasy XIV
Best Action Game:
Hades
Best Roguelike:
Spelunky 2
Best Adventure Game:
Paradise Killer
Best Co-op Game: Phasmophobia
Best Card Game:
Monster Train
Best Innovation:
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Best VR Game:
Half-Life: Alyx
Best Multiplayer Game:
Valorant
Best RPG:
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Best FPS:
Doom Eternal
Best Strategy Game:
Crusader Kings 3
Game of the Year:
Death Stranding

Staff Picks

Emma Matthews: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
Fraser Brown:
Cloudpunk
Rachel Watts:
If Found...
Chris Livingston:
Blaseball
Phil Savage:
A Monster's Expedition
Robin Valentine:
Deep Rock Galactic
Tim Clark:
Destiny 2: Beyond Light
Jacob Ridley:
Townscaper
Jorge Jimenez:
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
James Davenport:
Post Void
Evan Lahti:
Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War/Warzone
Tyler Wilde:
Disc Room
Wes Fenlon:
Risk of Rain 2
Alan Dexter:
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Jody MacGregor: Fort Triumph
Harry Shepherd:
Before I Forget
Andy Kelly:
Black Mesa
Steven Messer: Genshin Impact

Past Awards

Game of the Year Awards 2019
Game of the Year Awards 2018
Game of the Year Awards 2017
Game of the Year Awards 2016
Game of the Year Awards 2015
Game of the Year Awards 2014
Game of the Year Awards 2013

Phil Savage
Editor-in-Chief

Phil has been writing for PC Gamer for nearly a decade, starting out as a freelance writer covering everything from free games to MMOs. He eventually joined full-time as a news writer, before moving to the magazine to review immersive sims, RPGs and Hitman games. Now he leads PC Gamer's UK team, but still sometimes finds the time to write about his ongoing obsessions with Destiny 2, GTA Online and Apex Legends. When he's not levelling up battle passes, he's checking out the latest tactics game or dipping back into Guild Wars 2. He's largely responsible for the whole Tub Geralt thing, but still isn't sorry.

Latest in Events & Conferences
Nolan North and Jennifer English, who will be hosting the Future Games Show's Spring Showcase.
Jennifer English (Shadowheart) and Nolan North (Nathan Drake) will be the illustrious hosts of the Future Games Show this year
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree's Rellana
AGDQ 2025 kicks off this weekend, featuring an Elden Ring saxophone boss rush, an 'All Romances' run of Fallout: New Vegas, and some of the worst games ever made
Key art for the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted
How to watch the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2024
Golden Joystick awards 2024 banner
The 42nd annual Golden Joystick Awards are live now—watch the whole show here
Promo for the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted, showing host Frankie Ward.
The PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted returns with announcements and reveals galore this December 5
Key art for the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted
Here are the nominees for PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted
Latest in Features
midnight murder club
Five new Steam games you probably missed (March 17, 2025)
Geralt, two swords on his back, in the wilderness
2011 was an amazing comeback year for PC gaming
Alligator skull with glowing eyes on human body and cords coming out sitting at piano with "The Norwood Etudes" ready to play
My new most anticipated RPG let me be a kleptomaniac gourmand set loose in a noir city on a quest to make 'the perfect sandwich'
Monster Hunter Wilds' stockpile master studying a manifest
Monster Hunter Wilds' new gyro controls are a fantastic option for disabled and able-bodied players alike
Manhunt 2
I played the notoriously ratings-board-ravaged Manhunt 2 and was quite glad for the censorship actually
Wyrdsong concept art
Wyrdsong, the RPG from ex-Bethesda talent, isn't dead—but it's no longer an open world: 'We're down to a skeleton crew'