Wow! Y’all really showed up for this fun little vote. A total of 3171 people submitted ballots containing 2164 different games for their Top 10 Games of the 21st Century. To put that in perspective, that’s SEVEN TIMES the amount of entries we received for the Giant Bomb Game of the Year 2024 community vote.
The scoring system is based on a weighted system where your #1 is worth more than your #2 and so on. I don’t actually know what the math is on that because this “Community List” feature is built into the site. When the deadline hits, it just spits out a report, which I transcribed here and try to make look somewhat pretty.
The tie breaker on weighted scores is the total number of votes received.
Before I give you a big ol’ list and some stats, let’s slow roll the Top 50.
50. Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
Weighted Score: 41Total Votes: 93 (3%)Developer: Creative Business Unit IIIPublisher: Square EnixRelease: July 2, 2019Metacritic: 90
49. Persona 4 Golden
Weighted Score: 41Total Votes: 149 (5%)Developer: AtlusPublisher: AtlusRelease: November 20, 2012Metacritic: 93
48. Celeste
Weighted Score: 42Total Votes: 140 (4%)Developer: Extremely OK GamesPublisher: Extremely OK GamesRelease: January 25, 2018Metacritic: 92
47. God of War
Weighted Score: 42Total Votes: 169 (5%)Developer: SIE Santa Monica StudioPublisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment AmericaRelease: April 20, 2018Metacritic: 94
46. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Weighted Score: 44Total Votes: 115 (4%)Developer: Bethesda Game StudiosPublisher: Bethesda SoftworksRelease: May 1, 2002Metacritic: 87
45. The Last of Us Part II
Weighted Score: 44Total Votes: 138 (4%)Developer: Naughty Dog, Inc.Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment AmericaRelease: June 19, 2020Metacritic: 93
44. Shadow of the Colossus
Weighted Score: 44Total Votes: 139 (4%)Developer: Team IcoPublisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment AmericaRelease: October 18, 2005Metacritic: 91
43. BioShock
Weighted Score: 45Total Votes: 188 (6%)Developer: Irrational GamesPublisher: 2K GamesRelease: August 21, 2007Metacritic: 96
42. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Weighted Score: 48Total Votes: 115 (4%)Developer: Nintendo EADPublisher: NintendoRelease: October 26, 2000Metacritic: 95
41. Mass Effect
Weighted Score: 49Total Votes: 148 (5%)Developer: BioWarePublisher: Xbox Game StudiosRelease: November 20, 2007Metacritic: 91
40. Balatro
Weighted Score: 49Total Votes: 204 (6%)Developer: LocalThunkPublisher: PlayStackRelease: February 20, 2024Metacritic: 90
39. Deus Ex
Weighted Score: 50Total Votes: 111 (4%)Developer: Ion Storm Inc.Publisher: Eidos InteractiveRelease: June 22, 2000Metacritic: 90
38. Portal
Weighted Score: 50Total Votes: 184 (6%)Developer: Valve CorporationPublisher: Valve CorporationRelease: October 10, 2007Metacritic: 90
37. Super Mario Galaxy
Weighted Score: 50Total Votes: 186 (6%)Developer: Nintendo EADPublisher: NintendoRelease: November 12, 2007Metacritic: 97
36. Undertale
Weighted Score: 52Total Votes: 180 (6%)Developer: tobyfoxPublisher: tobyfoxRelease: September 15, 2015Metacritic: 92
35. Hollow Knight
Weighted Score: 53Total Votes: 205 (6%)Developer: Team CherryPublisher: Team CherryRelease: February 24, 2017Metacritic: 90
34. Yakuza 0
Weighted Score: 60Total Votes: 198 (6%)Developer: Ryu ga Gotoku StudioPublisher: SegaRelease: January 24, 2017Metacritic: 85
33. Persona 5 Royal
Weighted Score: 61Total Votes: 187 (6%)Developer: P StudioPublisher: AtlusRelease: March 31, 2020Metacritic: 95
32. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Weighted Score: 62Total Votes: 194 (6%)Developer: Nintendo EADPublisher: NintendoRelease: March 24, 2003Metacritic: 96
31. Halo: Combat Evolved
Weighted Score: 63Total Votes: 193 (6%)Developer: BungiePublisher: Xbox Game StudiosRelease: November 15, 2001Metacritic: 97
30. Stardew Valley
Weighted Score: 63Total Votes: 233 (7%)Developer: ConcernedApePublisher: Chucklefish GamesRelease: February 26, 2016Metacritic: 89
29. Minecraft
Weighted Score: 65Total Votes: 228 (7%)Developer: Mojang ABPublisher: Mojang ABRelease: August 16, 2011Metacritic: 93
28. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Weighted Score: 66Total Votes: 198 (6%)Developer: FromSoftware, Inc.Publisher: ActivisionRelease: March 22, 2019Metacritic: 90
27. Final Fantasy X
Weighted Score: 71Total Votes: 224 (7%)Developer: SquaresoftPublisher: SquaresoftRelease: December 18, 2001Metacritic: 92
26. The Last of Us
Weighted Score: 71Total Votes: 273Developer: Naughty Dog, Inc.Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment AmericaRelease: June 14, 2013Metacritic: 95
25. Halo 3
Weighted Score: 73Votes: 249 (8%)Developer: BungiePublisher: Xbox Game StudiosRelease Date: September 25, 2007Metacritic: 94
24. Portal 2
Weighted Score: 74Total Votes: 298 (9%)Developer: Valve CorporationPublisher: Valve CorporationRelease: April 19, 2011Metacritic: 95
23. Metroid Prime
Weighted Score: 77Total Votes: 268 (8%)Developer: Retro StudiosPublisher: NintendoRelease: November 18, 2002Metacritic: 97
22. Fallout: New Vegas
Weighted Score: 82Total Votes: 287 (9%)Developer: Obsidian EntertainmentPublisher: Bethesda SoftworksRelease: October 19, 2010Metacritic: 84
21. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Weighted Score: 82Total Votes: 312Developer: Bethesda Game StudiosPublisher: Bethesda SoftworksRelease: November 11, 2011Metacritic: 96
20. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Weighted Score: 84Total Votes: 221 (7%)Developer: Konami Computer Entertainment Japan, Inc.Publisher: KonamiRelease: November 13, 2001Metacritic: 96
19. NieR:Automata
Weighted Score: 84Total Votes: 254 (8%)Developer: PlatinumGamesPublisher: Square EnixRelease: March 7, 2017Metacritic: 88
18. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Weighted Score: 86Total Votes: 247 (8%)Developer: Konami Computer Entertainment Japan, Inc.Publisher: KonamiRelease: November 17, 2004Metacritic: 91
17. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Weighted Score: 91Total Votes: 262 (8%)Developer: Sandfall InteractivePublisher: Kepler InteractiveRelease: April 24, 2025Metacritic: 93
16. Resident Evil 4
Weighted Score: 108Total Votes: 328 (10%)Developer: CapcomPublisher: CapcomRelease: January 11, 2005Metacritic: 96
15. World of Warcraft
Weighted Score: 109Total Votes: 283 (9%)Developer: Blizzard EntertainmentPublisher: Blizzard EntertainmentRelease: November 23, 2004Metacritic: 93
14. Red Dead Redemption II
Weighted Score: 117Total Votes: 354 (11%)Developer: Rockstar GamesPublisher: Rockstar GamesRelease: October 26, 2018Metacritic: 97
13. Hades
Weighted Score: 121Total Votes: 448 (14%)Developer: Supergiant GamesPublisher: Supergiant GamesRelease: September 17, 2020Metacritic: 93
12. Disco Elysium
Weighted Score: 129Total Votes: 342 (11%)Developer: ZA/UM StudioPublisher: ZA/UM StudioRelease: October 15, 2019Metacritic: 91
11. Super Mario Odyssey
Weighted Score: 130Total Votes: 495 (16%)Developer: Nintendo EPDPublisher: NintendoRelease: October 27, 2017Metacritic: 97
10. Half-Life 2
Weighted Score: 142Total Votes: 382 (12%)Developer: Valve CorporationPublisher: Valve CorporationRelease: November 16, 2004Metacritic: 96
9. Dark Souls
Weighted Score: 152Total Votes: 411 (13%)Developer: FromSoftwarePublisher: Bandai Namco EntertainmentRelease: September 22, 2011Metacritic: 89
8. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Weighted Score: 152Total Votes: 454 (14%)Developer: CD Projekt RedPublisher: WB GamesRelease: May 19, 2015Metacritic: 92
7. Bloodborne
Weighted Score: 154Total Votes: 413 (13%)Developer: FromSoftware, Inc.Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment AmericaRelease: March 24, 2015Metacritic: 92
6. Baldur’s Gate 3
Weighted Score: 177Total Votes: 539 (17%)Developer: Larian StudiosPublisher: Larian StudiosRelease Date: August 3, 2023Metacritic: 96
5. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Weighted Score: 200Total Votes: 446 (14%)Developer: Nintendo EPDPublisher: NintendoRelease: May 12, 2023Metacritic: 96
4. Mass Effect 2
Weighted Score: 211Total Votes: 623 (20%)Developer: BioWarePublisher: Electronic ArtsRelease: January 26, 2010Metacritic: 96
3. Outer Wilds
Weighted Score: 219Total Votes: 412 (13%)Developer: Mobius GamesPublisher: Annapurna InteractiveRelease: May 29, 2019Metacritic: 85
2. Elden Ring
Weighted Score: 304Total Votes: 763 (24%)Developer: FromSoftware, Inc.Publisher: Bandai Namco EntertainmentRelease: February 25, 2022Metacritic: 96
1. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Weighted Score: 481Total Votes: 980 (31%)Developer: Nintendo EPDPublisher: NintendoRelease: March 3, 2017Metacritic: 97
Top 25 Recap
Breath of the Wild taking the top spot probably isn’t too surprising, but the margin by which it won is at least a little bit. Getting over 200 votes more than 2nd place is big.
The real shocker is Outer Wilds taking 3rd place. It had fewer votes than almost anything in the Top 10, but that means that the people who like Outer Wilds REALLY LIKE Outer Wilds and put at the top of their list.
Conversely, Super Mario Odyssey had the 5th-most raw votes, but didn’t make the Top 10. That means a ton of people like it, but not enough to put it high on their list.
I think it’s funny how NieR is sandwiched between two Metal Gears.
Let’s take a look at the details of the Top 100 games y’all chose.
The Top 100
#GameScoreVotesDeveloperPublisherYearMC1The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild481980Nintendo EPDNintendo2017972Elden Ring304763FromSoftwareBandai Namco 2022963Outer Wilds219412Mobius GamesAnnapurna2019854Mass Effect 2211623BioWareElectronic Arts2010965The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom200446Nintendo EPDNintendo2023966Baldur’s Gate 3177539Larian StudiosLarian Studios2023967Bloodborne154413FromSoftwareSony2015928The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt152454CD Projekt RedWB Games2015929Dark Souls152411FromSoftwareBandai Namco20118910Half-Life 2142382ValveValve20049611Super Mario Odyssey130495Nintendo EPDNintendo20179712Disco Elysium129342ZA/UM ZA/UM20199113Hades121448SupergiantSupergiant20209314Red Dead Redemption II117354RockstarRockstar20189715World of Warcraft109283BlizzardBlizzard20049316Resident Evil 4108328CapcomCapcom20059617Clair Obscur: Expedition 3391262SandfallKepler20259318Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater86247KCEJKonami20049119NieR:Automata84254PlatinumGamesSquare Enix20178820Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty84221KCEJKonami20019621The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim82312BethesdaBethesda20119622Fallout: New Vegas82287ObsidianBethesda20108423Metroid Prime77268RetroNintendo20029724Portal 274298ValveValve20119525Halo 373249BungieMicrosoft20079426The Last of Us71273Naughty DogSony20139527Final Fantasy X71224SquaresoftSquaresoft20019228Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice66198FromSoftwareActivision20199029Minecraft65228MojangMojang20119330Stardew Valley63233ConcernedApeChucklefish20168931Halo: Combat Evolved63193BungieMicrosoft20019732The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker62194Nintendo EADNintendo20039633Persona 5 Royal61187P StudioAtlus20209534Yakuza 060198RGGSega20178535Hollow Knight53205Team CherryTeam Cherry20179036Undertale52180tobyfoxtobyfox20159237Super Mario Galaxy50186Nintendo EADNintendo20079738Portal50184ValveValve20079039Deus Ex50111Ion StormEidos20009040Balatro49204LocalThunkPlayStack20249041Mass Effect49148BioWareMicrosoft20079142The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask48115Nintendo EADNintendo20009543BioShock45188Irrational2K Games20079644Shadow of the Colossus44139Team IcoSony20059145The Last of Us Part II44138Naughty DogSony20209346The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind44115BethesdaBethesda20028747God of War42169Santa MonicaSony20189448Celeste42140Extremely OKExtremely OK20189249Persona 4 Golden41149AtlusAtlus20129350Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers4193CBU IIISquare Enix20199051Slay the Spire39140Mega CritMega Crit20178952Mass Effect Legendary Edition3887BioWareElectronic Arts20218753Resident Evil 437141CapcomCapcom20239354Hitman 337133IO InteractiveIO Interactive20218755Kingdom Hearts II37100Square EnixSquare Enix20068756Halo 236121BungieMicrosoft20049557Cyberpunk 207736115CD Projekt RedCD Projekt20208658Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic35128BioWareLucasArts20039459Titanfall 234147RespawnElectronic Arts20168960Red Dead Redemption34135Rockstar SDRockstar20109561Silent Hill 234115KCETKonami20018962Rocket League34100PsyonixPsyonix20158563Team Fortress 233116ValveValve200792 Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 333116NeversoftActivision20019765Super Mario Galaxy 232112Nintendo EADNintendo20109766Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence32102Kojima ProKonami20069467Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain31123Kojima ProKonami20159368Control30114Remedy505 Games20198269Batman: Arkham Asylum29132RocksteadyWB Games20099270Final Fantasy IX2977SquaresoftSquaresoft20009471Resident Evil 228118CapcomCapcom20199172Grand Theft Auto V28116RockstarRockstar20139773Super Smash Bros. Melee28107HALNintendo20019274Katamari Damacy2885NamcoNamco20048675Doom26122id SoftwareBethesda20168576Fallout 326110BethesdaBethesda20089377Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare26106Infinity WardActivision20079478Alan Wake II26105RemedyEpic20238979Return of the Obra Dinn2694Lucas PopeLucas Pope20188980Diablo II2681BlizzardBlizzard20008881Dragon Age: Origins2599BioWareElectronic Arts20098682The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion2589Bethesda2K20069483Spelunky2582MossmouthMossmouth20098784Rock Band 32566HarmonixElectronic Arts20109385Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas23102RockstarRockstar20049586XCOM 22384Firaxis2K20168887Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 42364AtlusAtlus20089088Uncharted 2: Among Thieves22110Naughty DogSony20099689Hitman2295IO InteractiveSquare Enix20168490Persona 52280P StudioAtlus20179391Super Smash Bros. Ultimate21103SoraNintendo20189392Tetris Effect2179MonstarsEnhance20188993Journey2176thatgamecompanySony20129294Dota 22159ValveValve20139095Shadow of the Colossus2072Bluepoint GamesSony20189196Astro Bot1994Team AsobiSony20249497Burnout Paradise1973CriterionElectronic Arts20088898Batman: Arkham City1876RocksteadyWB Games20119499Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver1872Game FreakNintendo200987100Death Stranding1872Kojima ProdSony201990
Stats
Here are some random observations about the list we all made together.
Total Ballots Submitted: 3171Total Votes: 31,527 (not everyone put 10 games on their ballot)Total Games: 2164Total Games with Only One Vote: 953 (44%)Games from 2014 in the Top 100: 0Fighting Games in the Top 100: 0 (Science™ says Smash doesn’t count)Top 100’s Average Metacritic: 91.74Top 100’s Lowest Metacritic: 82 – ControlN64 Games in the Top 100: 1 – The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s MaskPS1 Games in the Top 100: 1 – Final Fantasy IXNewest Game in the Top 100: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Oldest Game in the Top 100: Deus ExLowest Rated Giant Bomb GOTY: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (508th)Games from Before 2000 in the Top 100: 0
Top 100 Games by Year
You know how everyone says 2014 was a “down year”? Looks like they’re right. It’s a pretty even spread here. No real recency bias.
Top 100’s Top Developers
Nothing too surprising here. I did combine Kojima-led studios into one column and the same for the Persona team. The love people still have for BioWare games makes it even sadder to see how much EA has squandered that love.
Top 100’s Top Publishers
Again, nothing too surprising. All the stars are here…mostly. The one standout to me is the complete absence of Ubisoft.
Franchises
Sixteen franchises had multiple entries in the Top 100.
We definitely have several instances of votes being split due to compilations. The biggest example of this is the 87 people who voted for Mass Effect Legendary Edition. If they had just voted for Mass Effect 2, it would’ve easily been #3 instead of Outer Wilds.
We also had some discussions about how Hitman‘s most recent trilogy is now viewed as one product. Whether all the people who voted for Hitman 3 intended for that to cover the whole trilogy, we cannot say. But, if we combine Hitman 3’s score with Hitman World of Assassination‘s score, it would’ve bumped up a little bit into the Top 50. If we combine all four, it would’ve been Top 30. But, it’s not exactly fair to assume people’s intent. Maybe they only loved one of them.
There’s also the cases of Persona 5 vs Persona 5 Royal and Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 vs Persona 4 Golden.
Giant Bomb’s Games of the Year
The seventeen years of GOTY winners have an average score of 140th best game of the century.
2024 – Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (#398)2023 – The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (#5)2022 – Elden Ring (#2)2021 – Chicory: A Colorful Tale (#297)2020 – Hades (#13)2019 – Outer Wilds (#3)2018 – Tetris Effect (#92)2017 – PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (#204)2016 – Hitman (#89)2015 – Super Mario Maker (#305)2014 – Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (#508)2013 – The Last of Us (#26)2012 – XCOM: Enemy Unknown (#170)2011 – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (#21)2010 – Mass Effect 2 (#4)2009 – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (#88)2008 – Grand Theft Auto IV (#155)
The Full List
If you’d like to see the full list of all 2164 games that received votes, their total votes, and weighted scores, you can see all the raw ass data with the link below. It’s way too long to post here in the article itself.
Thanks to whoever else made it so I wasn’t the only person to vote for EverQuest games. We even had a few votes for the Champions of Norrath games. Hell yeah!
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Thanks to everyone who participated in this project. The turnout was incredible. Let’s meet back here in 2050!
