Animal Crossing: New Horizons Wins TGS Game of the Year

Nintendo’s laid-back island simulation game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, has been named the overall Game of the Year at this year’s Tokyo Game Show.

Other recipients of the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association (CESA) excellence awards include 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, Death Stranding, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, Nioh 2, Persona 5 Royal, Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, Ring Fit Adventure, and Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Dragon Quest Walk received the Special Award, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare took home the Global Award: Foreign Product, while Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield were awarded the Best Sales Award and the Global Award: Japanese product. The Game Designers Award went to Hempuli’s Baba is You.

“A slow-life experience in this game, where you can do everything freely, became a comfort for people all over the world as we were forced to stay at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” a press statement said. “Communication with close friends through the game and interaction with other players in events went beyond the boundaries of a single game, and the game showed the power of entertainment from Japan, acquiring overwhelming support from many users of all ages, from children to senior citizens, in general voting, and won both the Award for Excellence and the Grand Award with unanimity.”

The team behind the simulation game also received the Minister of Economy’s Trade and Industry Award of the Japan Game Awards, which is given to “an individual or organization that has made a great contribution to the growth and development of the Japanese computer entertainment software industry”.