2009 Game of the Year: Uncharted 2 Leads, But Many Contenders

No single "official" GOTY—different outlets chose different winners. Top picks:

Major Outlet Winners

• GameSpot: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• IGN: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• GameTrailers: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• Spike VGAs: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• BAFTA Games: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• Game Informer: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
• Edge: Demon's Souls
• Eurogamer: Uncharted 2
• Destructoid: Demon's Souls
• Giant Bomb: Uncharted 2

Other Frequently Cited 2009 GOTY Contenders

• Batman: Arkham Asylum (Best superhero game, revolutionized licensed games)
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (MP phenomenon, record sales)
• The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (Best DS game)
• Assassin's Creed II (Massive improvement over AC1)
• Dragon Age: Origins (CRPG revival)
• Left 4 Dead 2 (Co-op benchmark)
• Forza Motorsport 3 (Sim racing peak)
• Rock Band / Beatles: Rock Band (Music game peak)

Consensus

Uncharted 2 won ~80% of major awards. Demon's Souls was the critical darling for innovation. Batman: AA for licensed game excellence.