I think these are the primary GOTY contenders:

Dark Souls 2
Dragon Age Inquisition
Bayonetta 2
Smash Bros

Outside chances:
Captain Toad (only say this because virtually every other game Tokyo EAD has done has been a GOTY contender)

Mario Kart 8

Sunset Overdrive

Bravely Default

Forza Horizons 2

LBP3 (just found out this isn't Media Molecule developed, so that definitely puts its quality compared to the other 2 into question)

Driveclub

South Park

Titanfall

Unless Dragon Age really blows us all away (and it's got a lot to overcome after DA2), I think Bayonetta 2 will be the best game of these. Although would be cool if Brawl for Wii U really knocks it out of the park since the fighting genre is long overdue for a GOTY game.

One thing I hope is that most publications make remasters/remakes ineligible for GOTY and do a separate category for them. Otherwise we could see them flood the GOTY nominees this year with the likes of TLoU Remastered, GTA V Remaster, Halo: MCC, Diablo 3: UEE, Pokemon OR/AS, Tomb Raider DE, Tearaway Unfolded, etc.

I know IGN isn't considering TLOU:R or GTAV for GotY again since Colin Moriarty flatly stated on Podcast Beyond that they wouldn't because those games are remasters. Most other sites will likely follow suit as well, especially considering no one nominated WWHD for GotY last year because it too was a remaster. I think sites are fine with full remakes though, so Pokemon ORAS may have a chance to be nominated for some smaller awards.

I know, I was joking.

Oh I see, I guess I was the party pooper... carry on

/thread

Game of  2 generations

That's sadly all too true.

"And the winner of VGX's GOTY is..."

Smash Bros, possibly Dragon Age? (don't know a thing about that franchise), or Bayonetta. Media Molecule is taking a backseat to developing LBP3, right? I wasn't too confident about it.

Edit: Right, Sunset Overdrive could do great with critics. Looks very well-put-together.

You know, if the GameSpot GOTY goes to Hyrule Warriors this year, I can confidently say that they've gotten high off the Zelda universe.

What about Dark Souls 2? Its the highest rated game that's not a port thus far. It's one disadvantage is the fact that it's last gen only.