The anniversary, 40th award ceremony of the Golden Joystick Awards 2022 was held. The game Elden Ring from FromSoftware took the largest number of prizes. It won awards for Best Multiplayer, Visual Design, Critics’ Choice Award, and Game of the Year. Studio FromSoftware became the Studio of the Year.

Interestingly, the Breakthrough of the Year award went to a small indie game Vampire Survivors, which has already managed to generate a separate game subgenre. Steam Deck was named the gaming hardware of the year. PC Game of the Year – Return to Monkey Island, PlayStation Game of the Year – Stray, Xbox Game of the Year – Grounded.

All winners this year:
Best Storytelling – Horizon Forbidden West
Best Multiplayer Game – Elden Ring
Best Visual Design – Elden Ring
Best Game Expansion – Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course
Best Audio – Metal: Hellsinger
Best Indie Game – Cult of the Lamb
Best Early Access Launch – Slime Rancher 2
Still Playing Award – Genshin Impact
Best Gaming Community – Final Fantasy XIV
Studio of the Year – FromSoftware
Best Performer – Manon Gage as Marissa Marcel (Immortality)
Breakthrough Award – Vampire Survivors
PC Game of the Year – Return to Monkey Island
Best Gaming Hardware – Steam Deck
PlayStation Game of the Year – Stray
Xbox Game of the Year – Grounded
Nintendo Game of the Year – Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Best Game Trailer – Goat Simulator 3 Announcement Trailer
Most Wanted Award – The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Critics’ Choice Award – Elden Ring
Ultimate Game of the Year – Elden Ring

The Golden Joystick Awards, also known as the “People’s Game Award”, is an annual award ceremony for video games which are voted for by the players themselves, at first only from the UK, but now anyone via the Internet. The ceremony has been held since 1983 and is the second oldest video game awards ceremony after the Arcade Awards.