The Game Awards 2022 features a Player's Voice category that allows gamers to pick their own Game of the Year, but it has caused significant controversy thanks to angry Genshin Impact and Sonic Frontiers fans. The Game Awards Player's Voice category featured three rounds of voting, with Elden Ring, Genshin Impact, God of War Ragnarok, Sonic Frontiers, and Stray all battling it out for the prize in Round 3.
Sonic Frontiers had been well ahead of the competition in the Player's Voice voting, but that suddenly changed when Genshin Impact managed to rally and take the lead. Since this has happened, there's been a lot of toxicity online between Genshin Impact and Sonic fans, with accusations hurled about bot use and cheating. There's also been accusations that Genshin Impact has effectively bribed its fans to vote for it because in the past the developers have rewarded the community with Primogems when the live service gacha game has won awards.
The Game Awards stopped showing the live results for the Player's Voice voting, perhaps as a response to the toxicity. The last time the results were visible, though, Genshin Impact had a sizable lead over Sonic Frontiers, while Elden Ring, God of War Ragnarok, and Stray didn't even have 15% of the vote combined. Regardless of which game one thinks deserves to win the Player's Voice award, though, it's hard to make an argument that Genshin Impact should be in contention at all, and it has nothing to do with its quality or the quality of Sonic Frontiers.
The simple fact is Genshin Impact did not release in 2022, so it doesn't make sense for it to be a part of the Player's Voice category at The Game Awards this year. The other games up for the award were all titles that launched in 2022, whereas Genshin Impact launched in 2020. This has been a point of contention with Sonic fans who are frustrated that their chosen game is losing to a title that didn't even release in 2022.
Of course, one could make the argument that neither Genshin Impact nor Sonic Frontiers really deserve to win. Sonic Frontiers reviews were mixed, and while some have hailed it as one of the best 3D Sonic games in years, it's still bizarre to see it thrashing the likes of Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarok in Player's Voice voting. Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarok are the two highest-rated and best-selling new game releases of 2022, whereas Sonic Frontiers reviews were middle of the road at best.
It is the Player's Voice category, though, so critic opinions don't matter as much. In any case, Sonic and Genshin Impact fans will have to tune in to The Game Awards on December 8 to see which game ultimately comes out on top.