Wait, It’s Real?! Hollow Knight: Silksong Shocks the World, Wins Steam’s Game of the Year
Put away the clown makeup, folks. The impossible happened, and Team Cherry just delivered the ultimate mic drop. Plus: Hades II, Baldur’s Gate 3, and horror icons take home major honors.
If you just felt a sudden disturbance in the Force, it was the collective gasp of millions of gamers realizing they weren't dreaming.
For years, Hollow Knight: Silksong has been the industry’s favorite ghost story. It was the vaporware we desperately wanted to believe in; the punchline to every "Nintendo Direct" joke; the reason we all collectively applied our digital clown makeup before every major gaming showcase.
Today, Steam didn’t just break the internet; they shattered reality.
In what is arguably the biggest plot twist in modern gaming history, Hollow Knight: Silksong has not only been acknowledged as a real, playable video game, but it has just been crowned Steam’s Game of the Year.
The long wait is over. And apparently, it was agonizingly worth it.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the wildest Steam Awards ceremony in recent memory, led by the insectoid queen herself, Hornet.
The Impossible Victor: Silksong Takes the Crown
Let’s be honest. The competition this year was absurdly stacked. We had massive AAA sequels, sprawling RPGs, and highly anticipated indie darlings. For Silksong to win—especially given the immense, suffocating pressure of five years of hype—is nothing short of miraculous.
While details on how the voting broke down are scarce, the consensus is clear: Team Cherry didn't just finish the game; they mastered it.
Winning GOTY on Steam means Silksong managed to transcend its own meme status. It had to deliver best-in-class Metroidvania exploration, the razor-sharp combat we loved in the original, and a world distinct enough to stand on its own shadowy legs.
This win is a vindication for patient development. It’s proof that sometimes, when a developer goes silent to perfect their craft instead of rushing to meet a quarterly earning call, magic happens. The Hallownest faithful can finally rest. The needle has officially moved.
The Titans Who Also Triumphed
While Silksong sucked all the oxygen out of the room, the other winners prove that this was a banner year for gaming across the spectrum.
The God-Tier Sequel: Hades II
Supergiant Games has done it again. Winning major category awards (likely Best Action or Outstanding Visual Style, given the studio's pedigree), Hades II proved that the first game wasn’t a fluke.
Following up one of the highest-rated rogue-likes ever made is terrifying, but Melinoë’s journey into the Underworld seems to have captured the same addictive combat loops, stunning hand-painted visuals, and horny Greek pantheon drama that made the original a masterpiece. In any other year, this would have been the runaway GOTY conversation starter.
The RPG That Won't Stop Winning: Baldur’s Gate 3
It seems like eons ago that Larian Studios dropped the full release of BG3, yet here we are, still celebrating it. Taking home yet another award in the current year is a testament to its staggering longevity.
Whether it won for "Labor of Love" (for continued updates) or an enduring "Outstanding Story-Rich Game" nod, Baldur’s Gate 3 remains the gold standard for player agency in RPGs. It’s the game that keeps on giving, and Steam players clearly aren't done with the Sword Coast.
The Masters of Atmosphere: Horror and Artistry
The Steam awards this year also took a decided turn toward the dark, uncanny, and atmospheric with its other major winners.
The Claymation Nightmare: The Midnight Walk
One of the most unique winners of the night is The Midnight Walk. If you haven’t seen this one, picture a dark fantasy adventure handcrafted entirely out of clay, brought to life with stop-motion animation.
Winning an award here (surely for "Most Innovative Gameplay" or "Outstanding Visual Style") highlights a craving among gamers for distinct artistic visions. It’s unsettling, beautiful, and looks like absolutely nothing else on the market. A well-deserved win for true creativity.
The Return of the King: Silent Hill f
Konami has been trying to resurrect the Silent Hill IP for years, often with disastrous results. But Silent Hill f seems to have finally broken the curse.
Set in 1960s Japan and written by famed visual novel author Ryukishi07 (When They Cry), this title took a massive risk by shifting the setting and tone away from the traditional foggy American town. The gamble paid off. Winning an award on Steam signifies that the horror community is ready to embrace Silent Hill again, provided it delivers genuine psychological terror rather than cheap jump scares.
The Takeaway
This year's Steam Awards represent a massive victory for single-player experiences and distinct artistic visions. We have a claymation indie, a narrative-heavy CRPG, two highly stylized rogue-like/Metroidvanias, and a psychological horror revival standing atop the mountain.
But the headline belongs to Team Cherry.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is real. It’s here. And it’s apparently the best game of the year. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a five-year-old preorder to finally cash in. Shaw!
