When the final credits rolled on 2017, the question of what was the game of the year ignited a passionate debate that echoed across living rooms, online forums, and industry panels. It was a year defined by a renaissance of bold creativity, where genre-defining masterpieces like "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" coexisted with intimate, narrative-driven experiences such as "What Remains of Edith Finch." The landscape was crowded with contenders, each offering a distinct vision of interactive artistry, from the oppressive dread of survival horror to the vibrant chaos of open-world exploration. To crown a single champion requires looking beyond mere sales figures and examining how each title pushed the medium forward, leaving an indelible mark on players and developers alike.
The Contenders and Their Impact
2017 presented a unique duality in gaming, where polished blockbusters shared the stage with groundbreaking indie innovations. On one side stood "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds," a title that didn't just popularize the battle royale genre but fundamentally altered the online shooter landscape with its high-stakes, emergent chaos. Its influence was immediate and seismic, spawning countless imitators and proving that experimental concepts could achieve mainstream dominance. Meanwhile, titles like "Cuphead" celebrated the artistry of classic animation, while "Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice" tackled mental health with a sensitivity and ambition rarely seen in mainstream entertainment, showcasing the medium's capacity for emotional depth.
Breath of the Wild’s Revolutionary Design
For many critics and players, the consensus leans heavily toward "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" as the defining achievement of 2017. Its revolutionary design philosophy discarded decades of rigid structure, replacing it with a boundless world governed by consistent physics and player agency. The game didn't just offer a checklist of quests; it provided a sandbox for experimentation, where solving puzzles and overcoming obstacles was limited only by the player's imagination. This shift redefined expectations for open-world games, prioritizing freedom and discovery over linear progression, and solidified its status as a transformative classic that will influence game design for a decade.
The Narrative Power of Interactive Storytelling
Conversely, "What Remains of Edith Finch" presented a powerful argument for games as a medium for profound storytelling. This anthology of vignettes explored a family's tragic history with a poetic grace that left a lasting emotional impact, demonstrating that interactivity could be a uniquely powerful tool for narrative expression. Its gentle, meandering pace stood in stark contrast to the year's more action-oriented hits, proving that quiet reflection could be just as compelling as high-octane spectacle. Games like "Gone Home" and the narrative depth of "Nier: Automata" further blurred the lines between play and literature, enriching the year's diverse tapestry of interactive fiction.
Measuring Success: Awards and Legacy
Beyond critical praise, the commercial and awards success of these titles provided tangible evidence of their impact. "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" swept the Game of the Year awards, earning top honors from The Game Awards, IGN, and Polygon, reflecting its broad appeal and transformative nature. "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds" dominated the conversation for much of the year, its influence visible in the strategies of competitors and the habits of millions of players. The commercial viability of these distinct experiences signaled an industry willing to support both massive spectacles and risky, artistic visions, ensuring a healthy and varied landscape for years to come.
The Subjectivity of Greatness
More perspective on What was the game of the year 2017 can make the topic easier to follow by connecting earlier points with a few simple takeaways.
