What will be the Game of the Year contenders this year?

I know it's super early in the year, and there's still more to come, but so many great games have come already, I feel like the topic isn't without merit. At the end of the year, what do you think the game of the year contenders will be? As of right now, I see the following games charting:

• Resident Evil 7
• Nioh
• Horizon: Zero Dawn
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Mass Effect Andromeda
• Persona 5
• Super Mario Odyssey
• Red Dead Redemption 2

Of these, I do think Zelda will take the top honors. Of course, this is all assuming there isn't something even better we don't know of yet coming later this year.

What do you all think?

• Persona 5
• ARMS™
• Knack 2

thats it

Nioh (new IP that surprises)

Zelda: BOTW (critically acclaimed Zelda title since WW)

Persona 5 (8.5 years of waiting)

Super Mario Odyssey (3D Mario has been consistently good since Galaxy 1)

RDR2 (it's Rockstar)

This seems like the safest 5 nominees so far. Maybe an indie game surprises the media and maybe ME:A delivers but these 5 seem like the dominant group.

Nioh is the best thing I've played so far this year, but hoping ME:A will knock my socks off (even though I'm expecting it to be merely decent)

Rockstar have been getting better and better since GTA IV imo, so RDR2 also has the potential to be a major contender.

won't be playing Zelda but given the reception, It seems likely to be a favorite as well. Need to play more Horizon but it seems too Far-cryish to be a major GOTY contender

there is literally no way zelda won't be GOTY here

Nier Automata scored very high, why can't it be on the list? I would personally add Yakuza 0 but it'll never happen unfortunately.

What about in general? Will it achieve a TLOU/Witcher 3 style sweep?

@princeofshapeir: to be fair, bayo 2 got a 10 here and lost to dragon age or shadow of mordor, I forget which one

Probably.

As for me, from the games that are announced (more will probably be announced at E3), I'd say it'll be between Mass Effect or RDR2 for me. But who knows what else will turn up...

It's going to be Zelda, but I rarely ever agree with GOTY winners (or nominees for that matter) anyway.

While true, that's down to the kinds of games Gamespot likes to award GotY to- games that allow for emergent narratives. Demon's Souls, Skyrim, A Link Between Worlds, Journey, Shadow of Mordor, Witcher 3, all games that allowed for emergent narratives, all games that they awarded GotY.

BOTW will piss on everything.

I think that the top three will be:

- Zelda Breath of the Wild

- Mass Effect Andromeda

- Red Dead Redemption 2

It should be noted that a review is just one person and the Game of the Year is a collaborative effort so the highest reviewed game doesn't necessarily make it GotY.

I love Nioh, but I just don't see it taking goty here, not in a year like this anyways.

I'd bet on Breath of the Wild, Red Dead 2, and Mario Odyssey being the most likely contenders for that top spot. Personally I'd only pit Mario Odyssey against BotW, but you know how this industry is about Rockstar games. It could play like total ass and it still wouldn't matter.

@aigis: Persona 5 is NOT winning GOTY

That's it

Zelda already won, what's left to discuss?

Shadow of war. The Nemesis system is unique and after watching developer interview they have expanded it greatly. My most anticipated game. 2017 has a lot of contenders and all deserving.

@FireEmblem_Man: which one do you think it will be then? ARMS™ or Knack 2?

Gwent will win more awards than Persona!

@FireEmblem_Man: I know thats not going to happen. Now youre just being silly

Maybe that next Shadow of Mordor game too.

IMO, RDR2 is the only game that can give Zelda a run for its money...if it doesn't deliver, then Zelda has the year in the bag.

@charizard1605: how many times do I have to remind you char ? P5 is going to lose it to DOS2 , unless you get lucky and Larian push back the release date :p

Well, it doesn't matter anyway, since Zelda has it in the bag :-3

it sure gonna win the game of the year but not The Best RPG ... ;)

Lol, P5 has no chance.

I came Here to post this lol. Exactly my thoughts :)

I think Prey has a good chance.

But for me personally, Day of Infamy is already game of the year ^^

Prey or Horizon or even Nier Automata

What a great year for gaming it is, something for everyone to enjoy. Truly is the best time to be a gamer.

I personally never really care about which game gets the arbitrary GOTY year crown but I do enjoy Giant Bombs deliberation podcast.

I would be staggered if Zelda doesn't clean up though.

Honestly I feel it'll be a good match between Red Dead Redemption 2 and Breath of the Wild...

If anything throw in Super Mario Odyssey as a nominee AND possibly Andromeda. Just feel Rockstar and Zelda will overshadow every game that releases this year...lol

Zelda can't help but win and it will probably deserve to do so. But still, I would call anyone who says Zelda is their game of the year an absolute bore. Safe picks are lame picks.

Well I have no idea what we will see later this year and what will be announced until the end of the year, but so far it's obvious Zelda will be GotY.

It's going to come down to Zelda vs RDR2!

Nothing will beat Super Mario Bros 2,

It already did!

Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2 (aka the lost levels) or American Super Mario Bros 2?

If we do get ALL these games this year:

• Resident Evil 7
• Nioh
• Horizon: Zero Dawn
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Mass Effect Andromeda
• Persona 5
• Super Mario Odyssey
• Red Dead Redemption 2

Regardless of who actually wins (and assuming, of course, they're all great) I'll be a happy camper. That's a amazingly solid list of games, with just about something for anyone (minus racing, because screw racing fans :P ).

But yeah, it feels unlikely that anything not named "Zelda" will win GOTY awards this year. Things can change of course, but I do think all other games have a massively uphill battle to fight on that front.

The American one is the only one as far as I am concerned. With Knack in a close second.

• Cuphead
• Horizon: Zero Dawn
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Mass Effect Andromeda
• Crackdown 3
• Super Mario Odyssey
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Sea of Thieves

Lems say the darndest things.

@kvally:

It's a forgone conclusion: Cuphead.

RE7 nioh horizon zero dawn mass effect Andromeda Redemption 2 shenmue 3 zelda

Haha its Kvally, what can you do... Anyway I can maybe see Sea of thieves having a shot to be in a top 10 list, no way the other two belong anywhere near the top 10:)

To the original question, I have a hard time to see how Zelda cant avoid winning this title. For me personaly I think my top 5 would be, in random order:

Divinity: Original Sin 2

Mass Effect Andromeda

Shadow of war

Ni no kuni 2

RDR 2

Zelda, RDR2, Mass Effect, and depending how well it's done and if it is truly revolutionary and the gameplay is solid Crackdown could be on that list.

Good point. I should have taken Horizon out of that list.

• Cuphead
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Mass Effect Andromeda
• Crackdown 3
• Super Mario Odyssey
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Sea of Thieves

Don't be jelly. While lems might say the darndest things, manticores like me embrace all.

I mean, right now it's Zelda: BotW and Horizon: Zero Dawn. Can't say for sure anything else that hasn't already come out yet e.g. Mass Effect, Mario no. 80, etc

Doesn't GT Sport come out this year? If it's a return to form it could have potential.

Pretty much ever game has a shot, but ones made by MS.