In a surprising move, renowned gaming influencer Shroud is rallying support for Arc Raiders to snag the Game of the Year 2025 title, outshining its main competitor, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. He passionately argues that multiplayer gamers, though fewer in number, should have their voices heard.
Michael ‘Shroud’ Grzesiek, a Canadian former professional Counter-Strike player, is highly influential in the online gaming community. With an impressive following of 6.8 million YouTube subscribers and 11.3 million followers on Twitch, his opinions carry substantial weight.
Since the electrifying launch of Embark Studios’ Arc Raiders, Shroud has been a devoted fan. During a recent Twitch stream, he urged his fans to vote for the game in the approaching Game Awards 2025.
“We gotta make sure that this game wins game of the year, by the way,” he declared. “Do not let that Expedition game win game of the year. Do not let it. Absolutely do not. We all have to band together to make this game win. Us multiplayer gamers are the minority, okay. We are the minority being multiplayer gamers, but I believe we can win. I believe. You just need to tell everybody. I’ve never voted for anything ever, but I think I’m going to vote this year for this game.”
As the year draws to a close, Sandfall’s single-player adventure, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, is leading the charge for Game of the Year, but Arc Raiders is considered a formidable competitor. Other notable contenders include Hades 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Blue Prince, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
Multiplayer vs. Single-Player: A Gaming Divide
Shroud’s assertion that multiplayer gamers are in the minority sparks debate. Research from the previous year highlighted that a majority of gamers lean towards single-player experiences. However, this preference varies across age groups. Midia Research indicated that gamers under 25 favor multiplayer engagements, showing a trend towards social gaming. As players age, organizing playtime with friends becomes challenging, shifting preferences towards single-player games.
“Younger players prefer PVP, which captures a large swathe of consumer attention and engagement and is enjoyed by all generations,” Midia Research’s Rhys Elliott noted. “Convincing players — and their friends — to leave for new titles is a huge barrier.
“Live-service games are the homes of many highly engaged players. Getting them (and their friends) to relocate permanently to another live-service game is a big ask.”
In the realm of popular gaming, multiplayer titles often take center stage. Games that capture the imagination such as Grow a Garden and Steal a Brainrot flourish due to their community-focused nature, despite not being traditional competitive multiplayer experiences. Fortnite and Minecraft continue to dominate with their multiplayer offerings.
On Steam, the top contenders are competitive multiplayer games: Counter-Strike, Dota 2, PUBG, Battlefield 6, and Apex Legends are, currently, the most-played games. Additionally, multiplayer giants like World of Warcraft and League of Legends further underscore this trend. Single-player games have their place, but when it comes to sheer numbers or monthly active users, multiplayer games are at the forefront.
The Game Awards: Public vs. Jury Influence
Regardless of the debates, Shroud expressed skepticism about the voting process at The Game Awards, suggesting, “All the f***ing awards are rigged anyway, who cares? When have you ever seen an award that’s actually legit?”
The Game Awards, orchestrated by Geoff Keighley, integrate votes from gaming media, influencers, and public fans, though historically, the jury has had a significant influence on the results. Keighley has contemplated relying solely on public voting but worries about potential “social engineering.” Nevertheless, The Game Awards features a fully fan-voted category known as Players’ Voice. The nominees for The Game Awards 2025 are anticipated to be announced in mid-November.
Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images.
With Shroud rallying behind Arc Raiders for Game of the Year, the spotlight is firmly on multiplayer gaming’s influence in a predominantly single-player preference landscape.