Death Stranding wins PC Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards

Death Stranding has been named PC Game of the Year at the 2020 Golden Joystick Awards. Hideo Kojima's latest originally launched on PS4 in 2019, but arrived on PC earlier this year.

This year's nominees reflected the diversity of PC gaming. Valve's stunning return to its iconic shooter series with VR-exclusive Half-Life: Alyx, Paradox's latest grand strategy masterpiece Crusader Kings 3, the heartbreaking Hades from acclaimed indie studio Supergiant, and the technical marvel of Microsoft Flight Simulator all made the shortlist alongside the likes of Paradise Killer, Valorant, and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners.

Check out the full list of nominations below:

• Paradise Killer
• Microsoft Flight Simulator
• Hades
• The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners
• Crusader Kings 3
• Valorant
• Half-Life: Alyx
• Death Stranding (winner)

When Death Stranding originally released for the PS4 in November 2019, it was pipped to the post by Days Gone for PlayStation Game of the Year (Resident Evil 2 claimed Ultimate Game of the Year). But the PC release in July offered a whole host of upgrades to Kojima's latest, including 4K resolution and ultrawide support to make his world even more striking than before. What's more, Death Stranding's themes of isolation - and ultimately connection - in a fractured world hold particular relevance in 2020 and against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic.

Of course, this isn't Kojima's first win at the Golden Joystick Awards. He claimed the Lifetime Achievement award in 2014, and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain won the Critics' Choice award in 2015. It's also unlikely to be his last, as the studio is already working on its next game. Not much is known about that right now, but if Kojima's track record is anything to go by, it's likely to be another major competitor.