Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has become the most-awarded title in gaming history. According to fan-tracked tallies that compile GOTY wins across hundreds of outlets, the game has narrowly surpassed Elden Ring‘s previous record.
The count isn’t from a single official organization. Instead, it’s a combined total put together by community trackers who spend awards season documenting every outlet. These tallies typically appear on gaming forums where dedicated fans maintain spreadsheets tracking awards from major publications, small podcasts, YouTube channels, and everything in between.
The record itself is somewhat fluid. Gaming has no single authority like film’s Oscars. Instead, thousands of outlets hand out their own picks. Major ceremonies like The Game Awards carry weight, but they’re just one voice among hundreds.
This matters because the pool keeps expanding. More gaming content creators, more publications, and more award shows mean more total GOTY mentions each year. What looked like an untouchable record three years ago becomes beatable simply because there are more awards to win.
Before Elden Ring held the crown, The Last of Us Part II topped the charts. The pattern repeats: each year’s consensus favorite racks up wins until the next big release comes along.
What actually counts as a GOTY award?
The tallies vary based on who’s counting. Some trackers include any public list where someone names their favorite game. Others stick to established media outlets and award ceremonies. Professional publications carry the same weight as small YouTube channels in most counts.
That’s why you’ll see games slap “GOTY” labels on their store pages even when they weren’t major contenders. Somewhere, someone gave them the nod.
