Hello and welcome to VGChartz’s 16th annual Game of the Year Awards!

As always the winners will be chosen by a combination of community and staff voting, but this year we’ve decided to trial a two-stage voting system:

1. The first stage we’re calling Preliminary Voting. It will last just under a week and the idea is for community voting alone to reduce the often lengthy lists of games for each award down to a much smaller list of final Nominees. Games that receive 5% or more of the vote during Preliminary Voting, or the top 5 games for genre styled categories & the top 6 for variety styled categories (whichever results in more Nominees), will go through to the second stage.
2. This second stage is called Final Voting. Final Voting will determine both the final Shortlist of games to be featured in each award article and, of course, the Winner. It will last around 10-14 days, just like the old system of voting, and will use a mixture of user and staff voting (with the usual 50/50 split in terms of weighting).

Here’s the link to our Preliminary Voting Form. All you need to take part is a Google account:

>>LINK<<

As a reminder this first round of voting will not determine any winners – be sure to come back in a few days’ time to take part in Final Voting!

As you’ll see if you click the link above, there are 24 categories this year, including a brand new one for Best Compilation. They culminate in the site crowning its Best Overall Game of the Year, with that one game joining this illustrious list of former winners:

• 2021: Metroid Dread
• 2020: The Last of Us Part II
• 2019: Resident Evil 2
• 2018: God of War
• 2017: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• 2016: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
• 2015: Rocket League
• 2014: Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
• 2013: Super Mario 3D World
• 2012: Journey
• 2011: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
• 2010: Mass Effect 2
• 2009: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• 2008: LittleBigPlanet
• 2007: BioShock

FAQs:

Q - When does voting close?

A – Preliminary Voting closes on Thursday 22nd December.

Q - Can I change my vote/edit my voting form after submitting it?

A - Yes, you can edit your voting form up until we close voting.

Q - Do I have to select a game for every award?

A - Nope. Select your favourite for as many or as few categories as you wish.

Q - Why is game XXXXXXXX only listed for one of its genres and not the others?

A - Last year's experiment where we allowed games to be nominated for all their various genres didn't work out well in practice. Everyone just voted for their favourite game in all its genres without a second thought. Because each game could ultimately only be picked for its most popular genre, this resulted in many wasted votes (over half in some genres), and also meant some games made the Shortlists with just a handful of votes. In order to avoid that this year, each game will only be listed for one genre.

Q – But you picked the wrong genre!

A – Let us know if a game should be listed under a different genre (ideally with a link to back it up, such as the game's own website or a storefront listing) and we’ll correct it.

Q - You forgot game XXXXXXX, you idiots.

A - Hundreds of games release every year and, while we try to catch all of the best ones when compiling the Game of the Year lists for voting, we invariably miss some. If a game you wish to vote for is missing then post in this thread and we'll add it as soon as possible. Do note that games must have released in the west for the very first time in 2022 though. Remasters and Ports (enhanced or otherwise) also aren't eligible for any awards other than Most Disappointing.

Q - Where's Grand Theft Auto VI/The Elder Scrolls VI/XXXX for Most Anticipated?

A - For the Most Anticipated of Award, only games that have firm release dates for next year have been included. That is why the likes of Grand Theft Auto VI, The Elder Scrolls VI, and more aren't on the list. If you think a major game is missing from this list despite having a firm release date, then provide a good source announcing a solid 2023 release and we'll add it.

Q - When and how will the Winners be announced?

A - Winners will be announced in a series of articles (as well as a thread I'll post) that we'll start publishing in early January. But remember, this is only the Preliminary Voting stage – be sure to come back in a week or so to take part in Final Voting and help determine the winners!

really weird that Elden Ring didn't get nominated for best original score/music.

Added.

Voted. Glad you added stuff like Harvestella and Atelier.

wow I didnt play that many games this year.lol

Filled out several of the categories though.

Some of the genre choices are a bit odd in my eyes but oh well.

Could you maybe add Kirby and the Forgotten Land to Best OST?
And Aperature Desk Job to Best Suprise? (probably won't get many votes but it would be my pick at least).

Added those two.

Which games are in the wrong genre?

Thanks!

The genre thing is up for discussion I suppose, but I would probably classify Ragnarök as an Action-Adventure and Forbidden West as an RPG.

I voted alot of Sonic Frontiers, Total War, God of War, Horizon Forbidden West. Pentiment.