Hey, fellow gamers! Can you believe it’s already 2026? I was just scrolling through my memories and got hit with a serious nostalgia bomb—remember the lead-up to The Game Awards 2019? That year had such a wild, unpredictable energy. No one knew which game would walk away with the big prize, and the debates were absolutely bonkers. Let’s take a chill trip down memory lane and revisit that iconic GOTY lineup.

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Back in November 2019, Geoff Keighley dropped the nominees, and I remember the internet absolutely losing its collective mind. So many folks were saying 2019 was kind of a “down year” for gaming—a year without a single undisputed masterpiece that towered above the rest. But looking back from where we are now, that year actually slapped. Those six games? Straight-up bangers that have aged like fine wine.

The Nominees for Game of the Year 2019

The cream of the crop vying for the ultimate trophy were:

  • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

  • Control

  • The Outer Worlds

  • Death Stranding

  • Resident Evil 2

  • Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

For the newbies: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate technically launched in December 2018, but it missed the cut-off date for the previous year’s show. So it got thrown into the 2019 ring, which made a bunch of people scratch their heads. Still, rules are rules, and honestly, Smash deserved every bit of that spot.

My Takes on Each Heavyweight

Lemme give you my (totally subjective) breakdown, because every one of these titles brought something fresh to the table.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – The definitive party fighting game. “Everyone is here!” indeed. It had an absurdly stacked roster, tons of modes, and basically became the go-to for living room showdowns. In 2019, many pundits were betting it would snatch the GOTY crown purely because it had such broad appeal—everyone from casual button mashers to competitive sweats could dig it. It was the safe choice with sky-high Metacritic scores (a 93, if I recall).

Control – Remedy’s mind-bending supernatural shooter was a dark horse. Jesse Faden’s telekinetic powers and the creepy, SCP-inspired Oldest House were just chef’s kiss. It wasn’t just a game; it was a vibe. Control proved that a tight single-player narrative with cutting-edge tech (ray tracing, hello?) could go toe-to-toe with any blockbuster.

The Outer Worlds – Obsidian’s satirical space RPG felt like a spiritual sibling to Fallout: New Vegas, and that’s a huge compliment. The “choices matter” thing, the wacky crew… it all just worked. Sure, it was a bit too safe and not an epic 100-hour journey, but it was a refreshing reminder of why single-player RPGs rock.

Death Stranding – Oh man, where do I even start with Kojima’s wild ride? Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus) delivering cargo across a hauntingly beautiful post-apocalyptic U.S. while balancing on rocks and avoiding ghostly BTs. It was divisive as heck—some called it a “walking simulator,” others (like me) hailed it as a masterpiece about loneliness and connection. It also landed two Best Performance nominations (Mads Mikkelsen and Reedus), which felt totally spot-on because those guys poured their hearts into it.

Resident Evil 2 – The remake of Leon and Claire’s nightmare in Raccoon City was a masterclass in how to resurrect a classic. Mr. X stomping behind you… hair-raising stuff. The survival horror was immaculate, the visuals were jaw-dropping, and the gunplay was oh-so-crispy. It got nods for Best Action/Adventure and Best Game Direction, proving that remakes aren’t just lazy cash-ins.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – FromSoftware’s shinobi adventure was relentlessly punishing, but so, so rewarding. No summoning your overpowered buddy here; you had to git gud or go home. The clashing of swords felt visceral, and the Sengoku-era Japan setting was breathtaking. Sekiro and three other nominees were also up for Best Action/Adventure and Best Game Direction, showing how stacked the competition truly was.

The Showdown and My Prediction at the Time

So, who was the über-favorite? Honestly, no one. I remember sitting on my couch in November 2019, stroking my chin like some armchair analyst. If you’d asked me to place a bet, I would’ve put my chips on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It was the only game that felt like a unifying pick—casuals and hardcore alike could rally behind it. Death Stranding was way too polarizing, Control and Sekiro leaned niche, The Outer Worlds lacked that “epic” scale, and Resident Evil 2, while brilliant, still faced a bit of that “it’s a remake” stigma from certain voters.

But as we all know now, on December 12, 2019, The Game Awards crowned Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice as Game of the Year. And you know what? In hindsight, it makes total sense. Sekiro was pure, concentrated gameplay. It didn’t pander with difficulty sliders or fetch-quest filler; it demanded mastery, and the community absolutely adored that relentless challenge. Fast-forward to 2026, and I still see clips of that final Isshin fight popping up. The game’s parry-based combat has influenced a whole wave of action titles—just look at [insert recent game here].

Let’s Look at the Scoreboard (Back Then)

For the stat nerds, here’s a rough snapshot of how these games were rated around their launch windows. It paints a pretty picture of just how close the race was.

Game Metacritic Score (approx.)
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate 93
Resident Evil 2 91
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice 90
Control 85
The Outer Worlds 83
Death Stranding 82

A quick note: Scores were grabbed from my messy brain, so they might not be pixel-perfect, but they capture the vibe.

The Legacy of the 2019 Class

Now that we’re kicking it in 2026, these six games have become absolute pillars. Smash Ultimate is still the undisputed king of fighting-game sales. Control got a killer sequel that dug even deeper into the weird. The Outer Worlds 2 is right around the corner, and the hype is real. Hideo Kojima’s next project has everyone on the edge of their seats. The Resident Evil remake train has become a gold standard, with RE4’s remake living rent-free in our heads. And Sekiro? It’s hailed as one of the all-time action greats, a rite of passage for any souls-like fan. That so-called “down year” turned out to be a downright legendary one for gaming diversity.

So there you have it—my little nostalgic ramble. What were your predictions back in the autumn of 2019? Did you see Sekiro’s win coming, or were you rooting for Sam Porter Bridges to deliver the victory? I’m dying to know (even if this is just a one-way brain dump). Until next time, keep those controllers charged, stay hydrated, and remember: hesitation is defeat. 😉