Each year, hundreds of games are released and they all compete for the title of game of the year. While mostly the contenders are AAA games with multi-million dollar budgets, there are a few indie games in the mix as well. In this article, we cover the top 10 most awarded video games of all time.
The following are the most awarded games of all time, ranked according to the number of awards that they have earned.
Grand Theft Auto 5 (2013) – 163 Awards
The GTA franchise has always been popular but Grand Theft Auto 5 is the latest installment, at the time of writing. Would you believe that it was released 10 years ago and is still going strong? You will still find it on the top-selling charts when it goes on sale Epic Games Store even offered the game for free for a limited time and during that time that Epic servers became overwhelmed and crashed. That should give you an idea of the popularity of this game even after a decade of its release.
Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) – 178 Awards
While the first game in the series was console only, Red Dead Redemption 2 was released on PC and was an instant success. The game puts you in the shoes of outlaw Arthur Morgan during the decline of the Wild West at the turn of the 20th century. As of 20th May 2023, 53 million copies of the game have been sold.
Uncharted 4 (2016) – 190 Awards
Uncharted 4 was originally a PlayStation exclusive but it was released on PC recently. Even though the game was initially only available on PS, by May 2019, it has sold more than 15 million copies and it is regarded as one of the best games ever made. There is no surprise since the developer, Naughty Dog, is also known for making The Last of Us.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) – 229 Awards
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is more than a decade old at this point and it has been released on pretty much every platform in recent history including the Nintendo Switch. Mods have allowed the game to stay alive and modders have tweaked pretty much everything there is to keep the game fresh. As of June 2023, Skyrim has sold more than 60 million copies which makes it one of the best-selling games ever.
The Last of Us (2013) – 257 Awards
The Last of Us was initially released on the PS3 and was PS exclusive. Later it was updated for the PS4 and was updated again for the PS5. It was also recently released on PC. As of December 2022, the game has sold 37 million copies. While we do not have the numbers, I am sure that a significant number of copies were sold once the game was released on PC. The franchise is so successful that HBO even made a TV series based on the game.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017) – 262 Awards
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a Nintendo-exclusive title only released on the Nintendo Switch and Wii U. As of June 2023, the action-adventure game has sold more than 30.65 million copies. Which is very impressive keeping in mind that it is not available on other platforms.
God of War (2018) – 264 Awards
God of War 2018 was a massive turning point for the franchise and game director Cory Barlog was brought in to change the direction of the franchise and the character of Kratos. This was a massive task but Barlog pulled it off incredibly well. The game has won hundreds of awards and has got numerous perfect reviews. Initially, the game was PS exclusive but it was later released on PC. With that in mind, it has sold 23 million copies as of September 30, 2022.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015) – 281 Awards
CDPR’s The Witcher 3 is regarded as one of the best role-playing games in recent history with it being the most awarded video game before being dethroned by The Last of Us Part 2 years later. As of 30th May 2023, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the 9th best-selling game in history and has more than 50 million copies sold. The game recently got a next-gen patch, so if you have not played it then it is worth checking out. You can also mod it to make it even more fun.
The Last of Us Part 2 (2020) – 322 Awards
The Last of Us Part 2 is the sequel to The Last of Us and just like the previous game, it won plenty of awards and has sold 10 million copies as of June 2022. This is a lot keeping in mind that it has PS exclusive and has not been released on PC or other platforms.
Elden Ring (2022) – 331 Awards
Elden Ring turned out to be the GOTY for 2022 and knocked it out of the park. This is the latest Souls game from FromSoftware and was released on all popular platforms such as PS, Xbox, and PC. As of February 2023, Elden Ring has sold more than 20 million copies.
These are the top 10 most awarded games of all time. Which of these have you played?
