Nintendo's epic open world adventure, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, has won Ultimate Game of The Year at the Golden Joystick Awards, the top prize of the ceremony honoring the best video games to come out in 2017.
The victory comes as no surprise at all, seeing as the game reaped riotous praise and mountains of accolades upon its release. Some even call it a revolutionary title that'll change how open-world elements work in future games, while many argue it's one of the best games in the Zelda series.
Nintendo Won Several Other Awards, Too
Breath of the Wild beats Horizon Zero Dawn and Persona 5, which came in at second and third place, respectively. Besides the top prize, it also came home with Best Audio, Nintendo Game of the Year 2017, and Critics' Choice. Nintendo EPD, responsible for both Breath of the Wild and smash-hit Super Mario Odyssey, was named Best Studio this year.
Since the ceremony was held in London, Breath of the Wild's Kyoto-based team wasn't able to attend. But Veteran Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma, art director Satoru Takizawa, technical director Takuhiro Dohta, and sound director Hajime Waikai all appeared in a video speech, in which they talked about the challenges of developing an open-world adventure game.
Aonuma thanked fans who voted for Breath of the Wild and the hundreds of Nintendo staff who worked on the title. Funnily enough, he also thanked Super Mario Odyssey for only being released recently.
"I'm a little relieved that Super Mario Odyssey had only been out for a week when voting ended!"
Aonuma's little joke probably implies that had Super Mario Odyssey been out earlier, it might have won instead of Breath of the Wild. Indeed, a large number of Nintendo fans are currently on the fence about which game from Nintendo this year they liked better. It's a tough decision, especially since both games have received excellent reception and acclaim.
But Breath of the Wild's victory is a testament to how much the game has resonated with players. Released in March, many elements of the game still manage to surprise players, and many parts of the game are still very playable, in large parts because it's focused on exploration rather than story.
The Game Awards
Nintendo fans must brace themselves for the upcoming Game Awards 2017, happening Dec. 7. There, both Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild are competing for the top prize, otherwise called Game of the Year. It's highly possible for Breath of the Wild to take that one, unless a major upset happens and it goes to either one of the other nominees, including PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, Persona 5, and Horizon Zero Dawn.
