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Ori and the Will of the Wisps has been named Xbox Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards 2020, marking the second time that developer Moon Studios has claimed the title.
The follow-up to 2015's Ori and the Blind Forest was an immediate hit when it launched earlier, thanks in no small part to its adorable main character and breathtaking soundtrack. This year's win also makes it two in a row for Ori, who claimed the both Xbox Game of the Year award and Best Audio with the release of Blind Forest five years ago.
That impressive second win is made all the more notable thanks to the quality of the games Ori and the Will of the Wisps was up against this year. Acclaimed reboot Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2, Dontnod's return to form Tell Me Why, and family-friendly Diablo adaptation Minecraft Dungeons all made the shortlist, as well as Deep Rock Galactic, Bleeding Edge, Wasteland 3, and Yakuza 0.
Check out the full list of nominees below:
- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2
- Deep Rock Galactic
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps (winner)
- Bleeding Edge
- Minecraft Dungeons
- Wasteland 3
- Yakuza 0
- Tell Me Why
We loved the game, describing it in our Ori and the Will of the Wisps review as "one of the best platformers ever made" as well as an early front-runner for Game of the Year. While this award is admittedly console-specific, it's nice to see at least part of that prophecy coming true, especially for a game as lovely as this one. And who knows - perhaps we'll be back here in five years' time, discussing Ori and Moon Studios' momentous third win at the Golden Joystick Awards 2025.
