Near-unanimous. The Witcher 3 was the right game at the right moment: an open-world RPG that proved the format could prioritize narrative density over map size. It raised the bar for the genre so dramatically that games released in its immediate wake were judged against it automatically. Metal Gear Solid V was the most credible alternative — a mechanical masterpiece attached to an incomplete story.

One of the clearest GOTY decisions of the decade. Elden Ring merged FromSoftware's refined combat philosophy with an open world and produced something that legitimized both genres for audiences that had previously ignored one or the other. It also won on player satisfaction metrics across almost every publication — unusually unanimous for a famously demanding game.

Also effectively unanimous, and arguably the most significant GOTY win of the decade. A studio-scale RPG with full voice acting, extraordinary branch depth, and co-op support won not just critical recognition but commercial dominance. Its success sent a clear message to the industry: players will reward depth, ambition, and player respect.