Former competitive first-person shooter player Shroud has stirred conversation in the gaming community regarding the recognition of multiplayer versus single-player titles in the prestigious Game of the Year category. Last week, he expressed his belief that Arc Raiders deserves to win the award over the leading contender, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Following this statement, Shroud is now advocating for a separation between multiplayer and single-player categories at major gaming awards.
The debate gained traction as Shroud noted that while the director of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 mentioned that winning Game of the Year is not their primary goal, the game appears poised to secure this accolade at The Game Awards later this year. The title is also nominated for the Ultimate Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards, scheduled for this month.
In contrast, Arc Raiders has emerged as a formidable competitor, quickly becoming one of the best-reviewed games of 2025. Shroud emphasized that multiplayer gamers are often a minority, which he believes warrants a distinct recognition. During a recent livestream, he remarked, “I feel like Game of the Year needs to be two different categories,” advocating for one award for multiplayer games and another for single-player titles. He added, “It’s so easy for a single-player game to win,” pointing out that the last multiplayer game to win the award was Overwatch in 2016.
The discussion intensified when Shroud’s teammate mentioned that It Takes Two won the award in 2021. Shroud responded by clarifying that the game, while co-op, does not fit the traditional multiplayer category, further arguing that the recognition landscape is skewed. This discourse highlights an interesting point: the Best Multiplayer Game category has existed since the inception of The Game Awards, raising questions about the necessity of separate categories.
Currently, Arc Raiders has reached a new peak on Steam, boasting over 460,000 concurrent players, surpassing the previous record held by Helldivers 2. This surge indicates the game’s growing popularity and reinforces its status as a potential award contender. As the competition heats up, titles such as Marvel Rivals and Split Fiction could also vie for the Best Multiplayer Game award, making the outcome of this year’s awards particularly intriguing.
As the gaming industry continues to evolve, Shroud’s call for distinct categories could reshape how awards recognize achievements in gaming. Whether this will materialize in the near future remains to be seen, but the conversation certainly reflects a growing desire for fair representation among diverse gaming experiences.
