We are just a couple of weeks away from the end of 2016. It’s been a pretty big year in gaming and we here at Don’t Feed the Gamers have had an awesome year. So with 2016 coming to an end, we asked the DFTG staff which games they thought deserved Game of the Year (GotY) and why.

Hoi Duong (Writer, Chills in the Fade)

Overwatch- Blizzard Entertainment

 “Some people might think this game is overrated at this point, but I have to say that Overwatch is a Game of the Year, personally. Especially with the relatively recent Arcade patch – it has been more fun. Competitive in any game is frustrating, and the same goes for this one! Taking an ocassional hiatus from competitive certainly helps my sanity!”

Scott Wall (Writer, Mech Pilot)

Total War: Warhammer- Creative Assembly

“I have always been a huge fan of the series, having played every single one of them, there has not been a single title in the series that I have not enjoyed – albeit, there were some I thought weren’t really necessary (ROME II). But this particular title took it one step further. It went out of their comfort zone of “historical” and “realistic” (to a certain point), and stepped into fantasy and the unknown. But more importantly, they combined two of my favourite things – the Total War series AND Warhammer Fantasy (which I have been playing on table top for years). To top it all off though, not only did they do this, but they did it WELL. They made a beautiful game with incredibly pleasing aesthetics, made it (mostly) balanced, and did it in a way that gave me many many hours of fun – nearly at the 800 hour mark, and still play it at least once a week!!!!”

Liana Ruppert (Co-Owner of DFTG, Editor, Writer, Collector of Everything)

Overwatch- Blizzard Entertainment

“I have to agree with Overwatch – not because of the game itself when you look at it on a superficial level but for what it has done. For a shooter, it would be easy to rest on simply that, for Blizzard to be complacent and let the genre of FPS rest on itself. Instead, they keep going that extra mile not only with keeping a steady influx of new and refreshing content (such as the holiday events and special matches in Arcade) but they have these heroes that we can’t help but to care about. Each one is vastly different from the rest, each with their own look, personality, and story. Pair that with the amazing comics, animated shorts, and hero features – the characters that make up Overwatch have a depth to them that is really hard to create and maintain in the First Person Shooter genre. That’s why they deserved GotY, because they cared, listened, and implemented the community every step of the way.”

Joshua Hogg (Writer, Battlemage)

Stardew Valley-  ConcernedApe

“An odd dark horse for me this year, Stardew Valley was the perfect surprise buy. The game took me back to my childhood, taking turns with friends playing Harvest Moon 64. Stardew Valley was the perfect combination of old and new, expanding on the farming simulators of old by adding RPG and adventure elements that kept the oft-revisited genre fresh and addictive. The game also adhered to its roots and provided a fully fleshed out farming micro-manager with a completely unprecedented amount of customization.”

Deidre Howerton (Writer, Unrespected Healer)

Overwatch- Blizzard Entertainment

“I’m not going to lie, I had never even heard of Overwatch until the Beta came online. I had been patiently waiting for Battleborn for over a year and once I finally got my hands on it, I was greatly disappointed and frustrated with it. A few of my friends had mentioned that they preferred Overwatch, so I gave it a try. The game is so simple, but extremely fun and competitive. I have poured countless hours into this game and have yet to get bored with it. I’ve even tried playing other games just to change it up and I end up regretting wasting precious gaming time on anything but Overwatch. I have always been too shy to talk to strangers when playing online multiplayer games, but thanks to Overwatch I have made new friends who I don’t hesitate for a moment to add to my party and don’t even get me started on how awesome the Blizzard team is when it comes to players feedback! Plus the different events have really kept things interesting. They are constantly finding new ways to keep the excitement going and I honestly think that Overwatch should just win game of the year, every year, for the rest of forever!”

Eric Hall (Writer, Pizza Lover)

Pokémon Go!- Niantic

“Since I’m a cheap gamer, I’m not inclined to purchase and play new games very often. This year was no exception. I regret to inform you that the only game I played that came out in 2016 was Pokémon Go. This fact doesn’t very well mean I didn’t like the game. Sure, I don’t play as much as I used to, but it was pretty fun while the hype lasted. The presence of nostalgarific first-generation Pokémon definitely made some of the game’s faults seem smaller in my eyes. The very fact that it got my out-of-shape behind to put one foot in front of the other on a regular basis is enough to convince me that Nintendo and Niantic made something very special. So, even though it’s partially by default, Pokémon Go is my game of the year.”

Jon McAnally (Writer, Gotham’s Protector of Chimichangas)

Witcher 3: Blood and Wine- CD Projekt RED

“Okay, I’m going to cheat a little. My pick for GotY is technically an expansion, but good enough and long enough to be a full game. The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine is my pick for GotY. There, I said it! Seriously though, this expansion closed out Geralt of Rivia’s story so well and was an amazing addition to the Witcherverse. The reason I say it should be considered as a new game is because from the time you accept the quest that starts Blood and Wine, the game changes drastically . You are taken on quests and to environments completely different than those of the vanilla game. The story is as engaging as the base title and there’s more to do such as remodeling a home for Geralt, art trading, and much more. I mean, Overwatch was good too, I guess.”

Matt Ruppert (Co-Owner of DFTG, Writer, Tech Guru, Wookiee)

Battlefield 1- DICE

“I chose Battlefield 1 because of the direction they decided to take with the game and to take on a conflict that only a handful of studios have approached. The single player was phenomenal and tugged at the heart strings with each chapter. World War I was truly a horrific event that produced death and carnage on a massive scale, and I feel that the game truly depicted this truth. In addition to the storyline, the graphics, mechanics, and sound were also beautifully done and truly impressive. All in all, every time I get a chance to play the game, I truly enjoy every part of it and proud to say it has earned my personal award for game of the year!”

Eric Garrett (Editor, Writer, Voice of God)

Overwatch- Blizzard Entertainment

“When I think of Overwatch, many things come to mind. That main thing that stands out, however, is diversity. The diverse cast of heroes, the diverse collective of players, the diverse weapons and maps, and the diverse set of emotions one can possibly feel while playing it. Yes, Overwatch is fun as hell, but it is that diversity that makes it fun. Whether you want to hang back and launch grenades onto the enemy team as Junkrat, or you want to be up close and personal, protecting your team as Reinhardt, there is quite a good chance you will be having fun while doing so. That, or you are getting angry because that damn Tracer is all up in your face, jumping back and forth between you and a hiding space. Better yet, maybe Sombra has been hiding in the corner the entire time, waiting to hack you, your team’s turrets, and everything you love. Okay, maybe it isn’t exactly that serious, but it can certainly feel like it at times. Find yourself a good team to hang with or go it alone. No matter what, you’re going to have fun, become mad, feel happy, excited, and sad, quit, and repeat it all over again. Overwatch hasn’t even been out for an entire year, but they have accomplished so much. With the introduction of a competitive season, new heroes and maps, and the story that ties everything together in each character’s short film, it’s hard to believe it has only been a relatively short time since its launch. It is for these reasons, plus a million more, that I have chosen Overwatch as my Game of the Year.”

There you have it, folks. The DFTG staff has spoken and it is clear that Overwatch was a HUGE hit this year. With all of the incredible games that got released in 2016, we can’t wait to see what 2017 has in store for us. What was your Game of the Year? Why is it your least favorite game of 2016? Let us know in the comments section below and stay tuned with DFTG for all of your gaming news. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!