Former professional first-person shooter player Shroud has voiced his opinions on the ongoing debate surrounding the recognition of video games in award categories. He recently endorsed Arc Raiders as a strong contender for ‘Game of the Year’ over the leading title, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Now, he is calling for a separation between multiplayer and single-player categories in future awards.
Despite the director of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stating that winning the Game of the Year award “isn’t something we aim for,” the title is poised to be a frontrunner at The Game Awards this year. It is also competing for Ultimate Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards later this month. In contrast, Arc Raiders has emerged as a late but formidable contender, earning acclaim as one of the best-reviewed titles of 2025.
During a recent streaming session, Shroud expressed his belief that the Game of the Year category should be divided into two distinct sections: one for multiplayer games and another for single-player experiences. He argued, “It’s so easy for a single-player game to win,” suggesting that this could diminish the recognition of multiplayer titles. Specifically, he noted that the last multiplayer game to win the overall award was Overwatch in 2016.
Shroud’s comments have ignited discussions among gaming enthusiasts and industry professionals alike. He acknowledged that while It Takes Two won the award in 2021, it primarily focuses on cooperative gameplay rather than traditional multiplayer experiences. He also referenced Baldur’s Gate 3, which won the Best Multiplayer Game award in 2023, emphasizing that the entire game can be played in multiplayer mode.
Interestingly, the suggestion to create separate categories may overlook the fact that a Best Multiplayer Game award has been presented annually since the inception of The Game Awards. This raises the question of whether two categories would ultimately serve to reward similar aspects of gaming.
In terms of player engagement, Arc Raiders has recently achieved a significant milestone, reaching a peak of over 460,000 concurrent players on Steam. This remarkable achievement surpasses the previous record held by Helldivers 2, demonstrating the growing popularity of the extraction shooter developed by former Battlefield developers.
As the awards season approaches, the conversation surrounding the classification of video games continues to evolve. Shroud’s proposals have sparked interest in how the gaming community recognizes and rewards the diverse experiences that both multiplayer and single-player games offer. Whether Arc Raiders or Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 ultimately takes home the coveted awards remains to be seen, but the dialogue initiated by Shroud may influence future award structures in the industry.
