Every year brings a number of tentpole releases from big names in the gaming industry that drive the conversation for Game of the Year. FromSoftware's Elden Ring is a frontrunner for 2022, though titles like Horizon Forbidden West and Pokemon Legends: Arceus have also captured peoples' attentions. Yet there are often smaller titles that unexpectedly carve out a niche, such as the rise of Among Us in 2020 - two years after it came out. For 2021, Wordle was one of the biggest surprises to shake the industry, and its popularity has lingered.