So many great games have been released in 2022, and now The Game Awards have released the Game of the Year, Elden Ring. Most of the nominees are fairly predictable, as they're by far the most acclaimed AAA games of the year, such as God of War: Ragnarok. And while they not win the final reward, all still hope their personal faves will get the coveted award.

Disappointment has run through fans every year since 2014 when the award was introduced, and a lot of classic games missed out. Redditors have voiced their opinions on which games should have won instead, and they range from outrageously hot takes to games that are better remembered than the real winners.

Ghost Of Tsushima

Original AAA games are rare these days, as they're usually sequels or tied to other franchises in some way, which is because they have guaranteed audiences and are virtually impossible to fail. However, the massive-scale Ghost of Tsushima came along in 2020 and absolutely destroyed the competition. The samurai game is set in an immersive open-world Japan and features one of the best revenge stories in a video game; and while it was nominated for Game of the Year, it lost to another behemoth, The Last of Us Part II.

Some players think the samurai game should have won noting, "Ghost of Tsushima was absolutely amazing! I loved every aspect of it, the ending especially broke me, shame it was only recognized for its art design and not its other good features." While the survival horror game was a lock for the win, given that another samurai game, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, won GOTY the previous year, Tsushima's loss definitely surprised many gamers, and any other year it should have dominated the competition, but TLOU was just too significant in gaming culture for it to tip the scales.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 is undoubtedly one of the most realistic games of the 21st century, especially when it comes to its western setting, as no other western game comes close to the 2018 game's immersion. Though it was nominated for Game of the Year, it lost out to God of War, but TrippMiller thinks that the Rockstar release is by far the superior of the two.

The Redditor comments, "Nothing against God of War, it was a really good game. But Red Dead 2 is probably the best game I've ever owned." Red Dead 2 certainly encouraged exploration more than the Sony release, and it had more side missions and other things to do after the main story was completed too. But both games were comparable in terms of following an emotional narrative.

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End was nominated for 2016 Game of the Year, and it was seemingly a one-horse race. There was no way any other game could have beaten the Naughty Dog release. Yet it shockingly lost to Overwatch, a multiplayer first-person shooter. Kikirevi was the most displeased with Uncharted's loss.

The Redditor notes, "I have nothing against Overwatch let me tell y'all this, it really is impressive, fun, and just amazing to play. But, Uncharted 4, to me was a masterpiece." A Thief's End had everything, including a narrative worthy of being the next Indiana Jones movie, and it was the gold standard of adventure gaming. The one area where Overwatch outdoes the fourquel is with its superior and phenomenal multiplayer.

Resident Evil Village

Resident Evil Village was a return to the aesthetic of the most celebrated game in the franchise, Resident Evil 4. Both games take place in terrifying woodland areas full of swamps and creepy cabins, and it was both a breath of fresh air and a trip down memory lane for fans. While it was nominated for 2021 game of the year, it lost to the beloved It Takes Two, and some believe the loss was unfair, commenting, "I found the game amazing."

However, the franchise could have a shot at winning GOTY again soon enough, as the Resident Evil 4 remake is scheduled for release in March 2023. Remakes have been nominated for GOTY before including Resident Evil 2, and while none have won, Resident Evil 4 has the best chance.

Bloodborne

In 2015, Bloodborne lost Game of the Year to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and this deleted user isn't happy about it. 2015 was a stacked year, and Witcher 3 knocked out a lot of strong contenders, including Fallout 4 and Metal Gear Solid V, but the Redditor posits, "Bloodborne came out as probably the most memorable and more importantly the most fun. I'm sure I don't need to explain why it should have won."

The 2022 Game of the Year could make up for this slight, as Bloodborne is connected to Elden Ring, which is a tied front-runner for the award with God of War: Ragnarok. Elden Ring is a spiritual successor to the 2015 game and is classed as a "SoulsBorne" game, and it's the only release that has a chance of taking down Kratos.