Elden Ring Shatters Records as the Most Awarded Video Game Ever
With over 300 Game of the Year awards and counting, FromSoftware‘s seminal open world epic Elden Ring has emphatically earned its place as the most honored video game of all time. This dark fantasy action RPG not only towered over 2022 with critical accolades and commercial success, but its legacy continues to grow in 2024.
As both a passionate industry analyst and hardcore gamer since the 8-bit NES days, witnessing Elden Ring‘s ascendance to legendary status has been nothing short of astonishing. Let‘s dive deeper into the records this instant classic has broken, how it compares to other hallowed franchise high points, and what catalyzed Elden Ring to capture lightning in a bottle.
An Absolute Award Onslaught in 2022
Elden Ring‘s decorated year kicked off immediately at the 2022 Game Developers Choice Awards in March, with wins for Best Technology, Best Visual Art, Best Design, and Game of the Year. From there, Elden Ring embarked on an unprecedented award domination campaign, shattering records once thought untouchable.
- Over 300 Game of the Year awards and counting
- Surpassed previous record holder The Last of Us Part II
- Most Game of the Year awards ever at The Game Awards (4)
- Only game besides The Witcher 3 to win GOTY from Golden Joysticks and The Game Awards
- First game to win both Public and Jury votes for European Game of the Year
Elden Ring‘s avalanche of accolades and positive reception reflects its instant impact on the gaming landscape. In Elden Ring, Hidetaka Miyazaki and FromSoftware have crafted arguably the purest distillation of their ethos; a digital epic poem that will be etched in history books forever.
How Elden Ring Compares to Past Giants
Elden Ring‘s astronomical critical success joins the hallowed company of medium-defining masterworks like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Half-Life 2, and the first Super Mario Bros. Let‘s examine how Elden Ring stacks up quantitatively and qualitatively versus past legendary award winners.
Quantitative Domination
| Game | Year | Awards Won | Metascore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elden Ring | 2022 | 331+ | 96 |
| The Last of Us Pt. II | 2020 | 321+ | 96 |
| The Legend of Zelda: BotW | 2017 | 264 | 97 |
- Elden Ring has won the highest raw number of Game of the Year awards ever
- Matched The Last of Us Part II‘s Metascore, the joint 2nd highest ever
Prestigious qualitative achievements
- Bandai Namco‘s fastest selling new IP at launch
- Only game besides The Witcher 3 and BotW to win Players‘ Choice from Golden Joysticks
- First Japanese game to win Public Vote for European Game of the Year
While pure award counts make a strong quantitative case, Elden Ring‘s reception amid mainstream gamers and enthusiastic fanbases cements its reputation.
Lightning in a Bottle – What Led to Elden Ring‘s Magic?
Decoding Elden Ring‘s resonating appeal reveals deeper secrets woven through its open world tapestry by Hidetaka Miyazaki‘s visionary design.
A long gestating labor of love
Miyazaki first conceived of Elden Ring in 2012 after Dark Souls released. Its 10 year development allowed Elden Ring to fully realize his grandest ambitions. Players feel that passion poured into each vista.
Incremental evolution meeting revolutionary innovation
Elden Ring represents the culmination of over a decade advancing FromSoftware‘s formula alongside a staggering evolutionary leap merging action RPG and open world genres. Seamlessly blending familiarity with risk-taking innovation created literal magic.
Empowering exploration and wonder
Elden Ring‘s lush open fantasy world delivered Miyazaki‘s purest vision of digital adventure invoking childlike awe. Organic discovery fueled engagement dwarfing modern 100-hour Ubisoft-style checklists. Elden Ring created a true virtual escape where gamers happily lose countless hours.
Universally relatable mythic storytelling
By marrying universally resonant high fantasy and intimate character drama against a backdrop of gods and power, Elden Ring tapped into collective myths that steadfastly endure across centuries. Elden Ring reminds us why these heroic monomythic stories still captivate worldwide.
Elden Ring bottled this alchemical mix of personal creative passion, precise refinement, and aiming higher than imagined possible. Gamers and critics recognized Hidetaka Miyazaki‘s magnum opus instantly. Praising Elden Ring almost feels inadequate given its medium-redefining impact.
Still Reigning as 2023‘s Champ
Rather than slow down post-launch, Elden Ring continues smashing records at recent 2023 award ceremonies. February‘s Interactive Achievement Awards saw Elden Ring dominate again with 9 awards, including Game of the Year. This matched the previous record held by The Last of Us Part II.
Elden Ring‘s award shelf still expands even a year later. According to assessment by Gamstat on Twitter, Elden Ring has won at least 336 Game of the Year awards as of February 2023. FromSoftware‘s modern masterpiece looks to hold the throne as gaming‘s new all-time award winner for the foreseeable future.
And a final heartfelt congrats from this passionate gamer to Hidetaka Miyazaki and the FromSoftware team! As both a lifelong gamer and industry analyst, I cannot overstate Elden Ring‘s magnitude as a groundbreaking creative work. Through your craft and vision, you have lifted video games to new artistic heights and brought profound joy to millions in a oft-turbulent world. Bravo on an achievement for the ages!
