Game of the Year Odds and Picks 2024: Astro Bot Surges into Top Spot

The Game of the Year is an annual award given to the best video game of the year – or more specifically, the video game that delivers the absolute best experience in areas such as gameplay, narrative, technical achievements, innovation and emotional impact.

It's the top trophy presented at The Game Awards, which celebrate achievements in the video game industry. Established in 2014 by game journalist Geoff Keighley, the Game Awards take place annually in December, with this year's ceremony set for Dec. 12 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

The six nominations for the Game of the Year award are chosen by an international jury of more than 100 video game publications and websites, and were announced earlier this month. With the nominations now released, the winner is chosen from a combined vote of the jury (90%) and the public (10%).

Here's a look at the latest Game of the Year odds courtesy FanDuel Canada:

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LATEST UPDATE (Dec. 11, 2024, 6:30 a.m. ET) : Astro Bot has finally done as expected and moved into top spot in the FanDuel Canada betting odds. Support for the title has been building for weeks, with other markets having moved the highly acclaimed game to the top of the ledger well before FanDuel. Black Myth: Wukong is still a contender, but having fallen out of top spot so late doesn't bode well for its chances.

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Game of the Year Odds 2024

(Odds updated Dec. 11 at 6:30 a.m. ET)

Game of the Year Favorite

Astro Bot (-185)

Developer: Team ASOBI
Platform: PlayStation 5
Metascore: 94

The third game in the Astro Bot series and the sequel to Astro’s Playroom, Astro Bot is a delightful 3D platformer that found critical acclaim with a score of 94 from Metacritic. The game ditches the VR headset used in the original Astro Bot: Rescue Mission and focuses on creative level design and clever use of the PS5’s features to impress.

Every level – and there are 90 of them split across six galaxies and more than 50 planets – introduces unique mechanics like gyro-controlled rocket ships to keep the gameplay fresh.

Released in celebration of PlayStation's 30th anniversary, players encounter over 150 iconic PlayStation heroes such as Kratos Bot and Nathan Drake Bot as they journey across sandy beaches, lush jungles and piping-hot volcanoes on the trusty Dual Speeder in search of Astro’s lost crew after his mothership is wrecked by a green alien named Space Bully Nebulax.

Visually dazzling, Astro Bot is a fun and upbeat game that blends innovative gameplay with classic gaming nostalgia for a great all-around experience. And given how it has vaulted to the top of the odds board at nearly every sportsbook to carry the market, it's hard not to believe fully in Astro Bot as the game to beat here.

Game of the Year Contenders

Black Myth: Wukong (+170)

Developer: Game Science
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S
Metascore: 81

Black Myth: Wukong made a fascinating bit of history at the Golden Joystick Awards – gaming's Golden Globes to the Game of the Year's Oscars – by becoming the lowest-rated game in history to capture the coveted Ultimate Game of the Year honor.

Yet, while three of the previous four UGoY winners have gone on to capture GotY honors the following month, there's reason to doubt whether Black Myth: Wukong will carry on that trend. The Golden Joystick Awards are based exclusively on fan votes – and with the public generally holding the title in much higher regard than critics, there's a clear path to a different game capturing the GotY crown.

Frankly, this game was mispriced from the moment it won UGoY – and even with Astro Bot assuming its rightful place atop the odds list, I have a hard time putting this game No. 2. No disrespect intended here, but this play is still a hard fade.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (+650)

Developer: Square Enix
Platform: PlayStation 5
Metascore: 92

The second entry in a planned trilogy of games remaking 1997 smash hit Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth combines real-time action with strategic and role-playing elements and is set directly after the events of its predecessor Final Fantasy VII Remake.

Players discover a vast and vibrant world as mercenary Cloud Strife and other iconic characters Barret Wallace, Tifa Lockhart, Aerith Gainsborough and Red XIII after they escape from the dystopian city of Midgar in pursuit of former elite soldier Sephiroth who was thought to be dead. The game has huge open-world regions that are split into six defined areas full of meaningful side quests and optional activities with a focus on character development and emotional storytelling to reinvent the much-loved original.

This is one of the greatest games in the storied history of the decades-old franchise – and it will be interesting to see if the game earns any legacy points from nostalgic voters. If not, it could struggle to overtake either Astro Bot given its slightly higher rating.

Game of the Year Longshot

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree (+1200)

Developer: FromSoftware
Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Metascore: 94

It's no surprise to see one of the greatest video game titles of all time grace this list – but will we see an immediate impact of the GotY committee opening up its signature award to expansions, DLCs and remasters?

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is a worthy entrant in the GotY discussion, earning near-universal acclaim for its sprawling new map and, according to the Elden Ring Wiki, the inclusion of 70 new weapons, 10 new shields, 39 new talismans, 14 new sorceries, 28 new incantations, 20 new Spirit Ashes, 25 new Ashes of War, 30 new Armor Sets and new consumables and craftables.

Dive into any gaming Reddit and you'll find yourself in the middle of a firestorm of debate on whether a DLC should be nominated for GotY – particularly this DLC, with Elden Ring having already captured the award in 2022. There's just too much noise surrounding this game's eligibility, and that's reflected in its skyrocketing odds.

Metaphor: ReFantazio (+1200)

Developer: Studio Zero
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S
Metascore: 94

This Sony/Atlus gem didn't make many waves at the Golden Joystick Awards – going 0-for-2 in its nominated categories – but bettors still need to take this title seriously. It debuted to much fanfare in October 2024 and earned one of the highest ratings of any game released this year.

The single-player RPG was lauded for its unique approach to racism and politics – supremely sensitive subjects in reality, and equally so in video games – while being labeled the year's "smartest, most exciting video game" by The Washington Post. And it's one of the most decorated games of the year going into The Game Awards, having locked down six nominations.

Your perception of Metaphor: ReFantazio's chances at a GotY win will almost certainly be shaped by whether you believe the voting committee will favor brain food over bubble gum. And frankly, I'm skeptical.

Balatro (+1600)

Developer: LocalThunk
Platforms: Android, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Metascore: 90

A roguelike deck-building game combining solitaire and poker, Balatro is quite different than every other game in the running for Game of the Year.

The gameplay is deceptively simple but extremely satisfying as players produce their best four or five-card poker hand after being dealt nine cards. Mysterious card types, deck modifications and multipliers add a fresh take to your strategy while the funky arty design and soundtrack fit the bill perfectly.

That all said, this title is much more likely to win Indie Game of the Year, which it did at the Golden Joystick Awards.

My Game of the Year Pick

I have no interest in wading into the original/true sequel-vs.-DLC/expansion/remake argument. I'm strictly looking for betting value – and there's one game that is well above the rest in this regard.

Astro Bot is a wonderfully entertaining platformer that harkens back to the heyday of the early PlayStation era; IGN labels it "the video game equivalent of venturing through Willy Wonka's chocolate factory," and it's impossible to disagree. Its inventiveness with regard to levels-within-levels and seemingly simple setups that become much more complex levels is a refreshing deviation from the norm.

Astro Bot is the best game release of 2024 – and while the game most worthy of that title doesn't always win the award, I'm confident that this one will.

My Pick: Astro Bot (-185)

Past Game of the Year Winners

Jamie Dickenson contributed to this feature.