Rank #1
- Available points earned
- 45.8% 17,500 pts
- Times picked #1
- 176
- Sources awarding points
- 176
2013 Game of the Year (GOTY) Rankings
Top game that year
The Last of Us Original
- Available points earned
- 45.8%
- Score
- 17,500 pts
- Sources used
- 382
- All sources checked
- May 25, 2026
How this year's score was calculated
Sources used for this ranking
See the sources used to calculate this year's ranking, including each source's name and type.
Collection complete
We have checked every source and possible result we found. Nothing is currently waiting for review.
- Sources used
- 382
- All sources checked
- May 25, 2026
Sources by type
- Editorial
- 298
- Reader vote
- 73
- Industry award
- 7
- Judges and voters
- 4
Sources by scoring method
- Published vote count
- 0
- Published vote percentage
- 0
- Top 10 list
- 207
- Winner and nominees
- 0
- Winner only
- 175
Sources used for scoring
See each source's name and type, who made the selection, and how its points were calculated.
Show sources Hide sources 382
Ranking
| Rank | Game | Available points earned | Times picked #1 | Sources awarding points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 45.8% 17,500 pts | 176 | 176 | |
| #2 | 29.3% 11,200 pts | 113 | 113 | |
| #3 | 8.5% 3,250 pts | 33 | 33 | |
| #4 | 3% 1,150 pts | 12 | 12 | |
| #5 | 2.6% 1,000 pts | 10 | 10 | |
| #6 | 1.8% 700 pts | 7 | 7 | |
| #7 | 1.3% 500 pts | 5 | 5 | |
| #7 | 1.3% 500 pts | 5 | 5 | |
| #9 | 1% 400 pts | 4 | 4 | |
| #10 | 0.8% 300 pts | 3 | 3 | |
| #11 | 0.5% 200 pts | 2 | 2 | |
| #11 | 0.5% 200 pts | 2 | 2 | |
| #11 | 0.5% 200 pts | 2 | 2 | |
| #14 | 0.3% 100 pts | 1 | 1 | |
| #14 | 0.3% 100 pts | 1 | 1 | |
| #14 | 0.3% 100 pts | 1 | 1 | |
| #14 | 0.3% 100 pts | 1 | 1 | |
| #14 | 0.3% 100 pts | 1 | 1 | |
| #14 | 0.3% 100 pts | 1 | 1 | |
| #14 | 0.3% 100 pts | 1 | 1 |
Rank #2
- Available points earned
- 29.3% 11,200 pts
- Times picked #1
- 113
- Sources awarding points
- 113
Rank #3
- Available points earned
- 8.5% 3,250 pts
- Times picked #1
- 33
- Sources awarding points
- 33
Rank #4
- Available points earned
- 3% 1,150 pts
- Times picked #1
- 12
- Sources awarding points
- 12
Rank #5
- Available points earned
- 2.6% 1,000 pts
- Times picked #1
- 10
- Sources awarding points
- 10
Rank #6
- Available points earned
- 1.8% 700 pts
- Times picked #1
- 7
- Sources awarding points
- 7
Rank #7
- Available points earned
- 1.3% 500 pts
- Times picked #1
- 5
- Sources awarding points
- 5
Rank #7
- Available points earned
- 1.3% 500 pts
- Times picked #1
- 5
- Sources awarding points
- 5
Rank #9
- Available points earned
- 1% 400 pts
- Times picked #1
- 4
- Sources awarding points
- 4
Rank #10
- Available points earned
- 0.8% 300 pts
- Times picked #1
- 3
- Sources awarding points
- 3
Rank #11
- Available points earned
- 0.5% 200 pts
- Times picked #1
- 2
- Sources awarding points
- 2
Rank #11
- Available points earned
- 0.5% 200 pts
- Times picked #1
- 2
- Sources awarding points
- 2
Rank #11
- Available points earned
- 0.5% 200 pts
- Times picked #1
- 2
- Sources awarding points
- 2
Rank #14
- Available points earned
- 0.3% 100 pts
- Times picked #1
- 1
- Sources awarding points
- 1
Rank #14
- Available points earned
- 0.3% 100 pts
- Times picked #1
- 1
- Sources awarding points
- 1
Rank #14
- Available points earned
- 0.3% 100 pts
- Times picked #1
- 1
- Sources awarding points
- 1
Rank #14
- Available points earned
- 0.3% 100 pts
- Times picked #1
- 1
- Sources awarding points
- 1
Rank #14
- Available points earned
- 0.3% 100 pts
- Times picked #1
- 1
- Sources awarding points
- 1
Rank #14
- Available points earned
- 0.3% 100 pts
- Times picked #1
- 1
- Sources awarding points
- 1
Rank #14
- Available points earned
- 0.3% 100 pts
- Times picked #1
- 1
- Sources awarding points
- 1
2013 Retrospective
Why The Last of Us Won More GOTY Picks Than GTA V
Grand Theft Auto V offered a huge city and extraordinary freedom. Yet more 2013 GOTY lists chose The Last of Us. Its tightly paced journey with Joel and Ellie lingered longer than a wider world.
Two Very Different Blockbusters Met in 2013
The 2013 contest had two clear leaders. The Last of Us received 176 of 382 first-place selections, or 45.8%; Grand Theft Auto V received 113, or 29.3%. GTA V expanded the range of possible actions, while The Last of Us concentrated on the force of individual scenes and emotions.
In Grand Theft Auto V, you take turns controlling three protagonists. The same city looks completely different depending on the person. GameSpot praised the animated world and three main characters. The Guardian also believed that the ability to change characters made chases and robbery missions bigger. Los Santos was not only a large map, but also a stage where events continued to unfold. [1] [2]
The Last of Us offers narrower paths and smaller combat spaces. In return, the journey shows Joel and Ellie slowly learning to trust each other. Saying that a linear game simply beat an open-world game misses the point. A game with greater freedom faced one that gave fewer actions more meaning.
Violence Felt Like Survival, Not a Power Fantasy
What sets The Last of Us apart from other action games isn't the number of enemies. The fight seemed more like an arduous survival than a show off of great skills. The production team said in an interview with The Guardian that they did not want to tell the story only through video. The story continues even while playing, and the violence is made to not just look cool. [3]
Post-release evaluations showed that this choice fit well with the character's story. The Guardian praised his natural dialogue and humane character. GameSpot felt that combat and exploration supported Joel and Ellie's journey well. The story wasn't just in the video you watched after pausing the play. Each time one battle ended, the feeling of the next scene changed. [4] [5]
The game still had problems. Moving ladders and boards became repetitive, and awkward companion or enemy movement sometimes broke the tension. Even so, many voters valued the emotional shape of the whole journey more than these faults. The individual systems were familiar, but they all supported Joel and Ellie's relationship.
Critics, Players, and Developers Reached the Same Verdict
The Last of Us received 176 first-place selections: 139 editorial, 33 reader, 2 industry, and 2 mixed. Fan voting alone did not create the result. Critics formed the center of its support, and players largely agreed.
The major awards reached the same conclusion. The Last of Us won five BAFTAs, including Best Game, and ten D.I.C.E. awards, including Game of the Year. Critics and fellow developers agreed that its story, direction, and mechanics worked together. [6] [7]
Polished cutscenes alone did not earn this support. Acting, camera work, and music flowed into stealth, scarce ammunition, and time spent walking beside a companion. The tension continued when control returned to the player. The game was strong not because it looked like a film, but because it made those emotions playable.
GTA V's Loss Was Not a Rejection of Open Worlds
Grand Theft Auto V still received 113 first-place selections, or 29.3%. Together, the two games accounted for roughly three quarters of the tally. Voters found room for both extraordinary freedom and a tightly structured story.
Still, more people chose a journey with a fixed end. The Last of Us showed that even if there isn't much to do, the accumulation of scenes can create a strong experience. This is why the choice Joel made at the end is still talked about. The player understands the choice, but cannot easily say it is right.
The 2013 result showed that scale alone could not define a major game. When action and emotion reinforce each other, a fixed path can feel as rich as an enormous open world.
External references
- GameSpot Grand Theft Auto V Review View source
- The Guardian GTA 5 review: a dazzling but monstrous parody of modern life View source
- The Guardian The Last of Us: bringing a cinematic vision to games View source
- The Guardian The Last of Us review View source
- GameSpot The Last of Us Review View source
- BAFTA British Academy Games Awards in 2014: Winners Announced View source
- Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences 17th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Winners View source