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Why Did God of War Ragnarök Lose Game of the Year?

God of War Ragnarök, despite its monumental success and critical acclaim, ultimately lost the coveted Game of the Year (GOTY) title primarily because it was perceived as an evolutionary rather than revolutionary step forward compared to its predecessor, the 2018 God of War. While Ragnarök refined and expanded upon the established formula, introducing a wealth of content and deepening the lore, it lacked the groundbreaking impact of its predecessor. Furthermore, it faced stiff competition from Elden Ring, a title that delivered a genuinely novel and genre-bending experience, captivating players with its unparalleled freedom, challenging gameplay, and intricate world design. The GOTY awards often celebrate innovation and risk-taking, and in 2022, Elden Ring was seen as the bolder and more transformative game.

Factors Contributing to Ragnarök’s Loss

Several specific factors contributed to the perception of Ragnarök as being “less” than Elden Ring:

Lack of True Innovation: God of War (2018) completely reinvented the franchise, shifting from a fixed-camera, hack-and-slash style to a third-person, over-the-shoulder action RPG. Ragnarök largely maintained this formula, albeit with improvements to combat, traversal, and story. However, the core gameplay loop remained fundamentally similar.
Elden Ring’s Uniqueness: Elden Ring, on the other hand, offered a completely unique open-world experience within the “Souls-like” genre. Its unparalleled freedom of exploration, cryptic narrative, and demanding but rewarding combat resonated deeply with players seeking a challenging and unconventional experience.
Story and Pacing Issues: Some critics and players noted issues with Ragnarök’s pacing, particularly in the sections focusing on Atreus. While these sections contributed to the narrative, they were sometimes seen as disrupting the flow of the main story and detracting from the overall experience. The article mentions that, “Ragnarok’s shortcomings are further highlighted by the absence of a new game plus, a staple for most modern action RPG titles. Coupled with that, the game’s awkward pacing, especially with the sections focusing on Atreus, hampers replayability.”
Overfamiliarity: While Ragnarök expanded the game world to encompass all nine realms of Norse mythology, some players found the environments and puzzles to be too similar to those in the 2018 game. This sense of overfamiliarity lessened the impact of exploration and discovery.
Skill Tree Concerns: The article suggests that, “it’s too similar to its predecessor and yet in most cases not quite as good, with a weaker plot, wasted skill tree abilities, and overfamiliar locations and puzzles.” This sentiment echoed the views of players who hoped for more impactful upgrades and skill trees.
The “Revolution vs. Evolution” Argument: As highlighted in the provided text, “If God of War was revolution, Ragnarok is evolution.” This concisely captures the essence of why Ragnarök, despite its high quality, didn’t achieve the same level of acclaim as its predecessor.
Difficulty Preferences: While both games offer challenging gameplay, Elden Ring’s uncompromising difficulty proved to be a significant draw for a certain segment of players. While God of War offered varying difficulty settings, some considered it to be more accessible and, therefore, less rewarding than Elden Ring’s steep learning curve.
GOTY Award Politics: The Game Awards, and other similar events, are not solely decided on the objective quality of a game. Factors such as marketing campaigns, studio reputation, and current trends within the gaming industry can also influence the voting process.

Ragnarök’s Achievements Should Not Be Discounted

Despite losing GOTY, God of War Ragnarök remains a masterpiece in its own right. The game’s strengths include:

Exceptional Graphics and Performance: Ragnarök pushed the boundaries of console technology, delivering stunning visuals and smooth performance on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
Compelling Narrative and Characters: The game’s story is a masterfully written and emotionally resonant tale of family, fate, and sacrifice. The characters are complex and believable, and their relationships are deeply explored.
Refined Combat System: Ragnarök’s combat system is fluid, responsive, and satisfyingly brutal. The game offers a wide range of weapons, abilities, and strategies, allowing players to customize their playstyle.
Expansive World and Lore: The game’s exploration of Norse mythology is rich and immersive. The nine realms are beautifully realized and filled with fascinating characters, creatures, and stories.
Critical Acclaim and Commercial Success: The game received widespread critical acclaim and was a commercial success, selling millions of copies worldwide.

FAQs About God of War and Game of the Year Awards

Here are 15 frequently asked questions (FAQs) about God of War and Game of the Year awards, based on the text you provided:

1. Did the 2018 God of War win Game of the Year?

Yes, the 2018 God of War won Game of the Year.

2. What games competed against God of War (2018) for Game of the Year?

God of War (2018) competed against titles like Monster Hunter: World, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and Marvel’s Spider-Man.

3. How many Game of the Year awards did God of War Ragnarök win?

God of War Ragnarök won 74 Game of the Year awards, according to the text.

4. Which game won Game of the Year at the DICE Awards in 2022?

Elden Ring won Game of the Year at the DICE Awards in 2022.

5. Which game defeated God of War Ragnarök for Game of the Year at The Game Awards?

Elden Ring defeated God of War Ragnarök for Game of the Year.

6. What is considered the best God of War game in the classic era?

God of War 2 is considered the best God of War game of the franchise’s classic era.

7. Why didn’t God of War Ragnarök win Game of the Year?

One reason is the absence of a New Game Plus mode at launch and its awkward pacing.

8. How old is Kratos in God of War Ragnarök?

Kratos is estimated to be around 1,055 years old in God of War Ragnarök.

9. Is God of War Ragnarök better than God of War (2018)?

While God of War Ragnarök is technically superior, it lacks the groundbreaking impact of the 2018 God of War, which reinvented the franchise. It’s evolution, not revolution.

10. How are Game of the Year winners decided?

The winners are determined by a jury (90 percent) and public voting (10 percent).

11. Which God of War game is the longest?

God of War Ragnarök (2022) is the longest God of War game, with a playthrough time of around 25.5 hours.

12. What is the fastest time someone has beaten Elden Ring?

The fastest Any% completion of Elden Ring is 19 minutes 49 seconds.

13. Did God of War (2018) win more awards than Red Dead Redemption 2?

No, Red Dead Redemption 2 and God of War (2018) received eight nominations each, the most in Game Awards history at the time. At the show, Red Dead Redemption 2 tied for the highest-awarded game in the show’s history with four wins, and God of War was awarded Game of the Year.

14. Which Norse God was killed in Elden Ring?

The text mentions Godwyn was killed in Elden Ring.

15. Is God of War Ragnarök the last God of War game?

Santa Monica Studio has indicated that God of War Ragnarök is the end of the Norse saga for Kratos and Atreus and won’t be spun into another trilogy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, God of War Ragnarök is a fantastic game that deserves all the praise it has received. While it ultimately lost the GOTY race to Elden Ring, its achievements should not be discounted. Elden Ring’s unique open-world experience and challenging gameplay proved to be more appealing to the voters, marking a true turning point in gaming. It is important to recognize the greatness of both games and appreciate their unique contributions to the gaming landscape. Understanding the complexities surrounding game development and design, and its effect on its user is something scholars at GamesLearningSociety.org continuously explore. For more insight in to the development of games, visit the Games Learning Society website.

Why did God of War lose Game of the Year?