It's that time of the year. There will be no further releases of major games this year, so it's time to look back at the best games released in 2016. Personally, I believe that this year was slightly less stellar than 2015 when it comes to gaming but of course, your opinion may vary. 2017 is looking fantastic though, and we'll cover all the most anticipated upcoming games over the next couple weeks.
Our end of the year schedule begins by giving you the power to choose with Wccftech's Reader's Awards 2016. We'll delve much deeper on our choices for each category with subsequent articles, but for now it's all about your votes. Some categories have many contestants while others have a few, but that's just the byproduct of this year's particular output in game releases, skewed towards certain genres while others were scarcely found.
Of course, you're more than welcome to explain your votes in the comments section. Without further ado, let the votes begin! The polls will automatically close on December 31st, while on January 1st, 2017 we'll present the Reader's Awards 2016 winners alongside our own picks for the Staff Awards.
Best Shooter Game in 2016
- DOOM 37%, 663 votes663 votes 37%663 votes - 37% of all votes
- Battlefield 1 31%, 555 votes555 votes 31%555 votes - 31% of all votes
- Overwatch 16%, 285 votes285 votes 16%285 votes - 16% of all votes
- Titanfall 2 7%, 132 votes132 votes 7%132 votes - 7% of all votes
- Shadow Warrior 2 3%, 57 votes57 votes 3%57 votes - 3% of all votes
- Gears of War 4 3%, 56 votes56 votes 3%56 votes - 3% of all votes
- Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare 2%, 44 votes44 votes 2%44 votes - 2% of all votes
Total Votes: 1792
December 18, 2016
- December 31, 2016
Voting is closed
Best Role Playing Game (RPG) in 2016
- Dark Souls 3 30%, 488 votes488 votes 30%488 votes - 30% of all votes
- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided 26%, 418 votes418 votes 26%418 votes - 26% of all votes
- Final Fantasy XV 18%, 300 votes300 votes 18%300 votes - 18% of all votes
- Tyranny 14%, 224 votes224 votes 14%224 votes - 14% of all votes
- Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon 7%, 111 votes111 votes 7%111 votes - 7% of all votes
- Grim Dawn 5%, 87 votes87 votes 5%87 votes - 5% of all votes
Total Votes: 1628
December 18, 2016
- December 31, 2016
Voting is closed
Best Racing Game in 2016
- Forza Horizon 3 72%, 869 votes869 votes 72%869 votes - 72% of all votes
- Forza Motorsport 6 Apex 14%, 163 votes163 votes 14%163 votes - 14% of all votes
- F1 2016 11%, 128 votes128 votes 11%128 votes - 11% of all votes
- Ride 2 4%, 45 votes45 votes 4%45 votes - 4% of all votes
Total Votes: 1205
December 18, 2016
- December 31, 2016
Voting is closed
Best Action/Adventure Game in 2016
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End 36%, 537 votes537 votes 36%537 votes - 36% of all votes
- Dishonored 2 31%, 460 votes460 votes 31%460 votes - 31% of all votes
- HITMAN 12%, 175 votes175 votes 12%175 votes - 12% of all votes
- Quantum Break 9%, 133 votes133 votes 9%133 votes - 9% of all votes
- The Last Guardian 6%, 97 votes97 votes 6%97 votes - 6% of all votes
- Watch Dogs 2 6%, 92 votes92 votes 6%92 votes - 6% of all votes
Total Votes: 1494
December 18, 2016
- December 31, 2016
Voting is closed
Best Adventure Game in 2016
- Firewatch 48%, 515 votes515 votes 48%515 votes - 48% of all votes
- Inside 27%, 287 votes287 votes 27%287 votes - 27% of all votes
- Obduction 10%, 111 votes111 votes 10%111 votes - 10% of all votes
- Abzû 10%, 104 votes104 votes 10%104 votes - 10% of all votes
- Oxenfree 5%, 56 votes56 votes 5%56 votes - 5% of all votes
Total Votes: 1073
December 18, 2016
- December 31, 2016
Voting is closed
Best Sports Game in 2016
- FIFA 17 37%, 377 votes377 votes 37%377 votes - 37% of all votes
- Steep 21%, 207 votes207 votes 21%207 votes - 21% of all votes
- NBA 2K17 15%, 156 votes156 votes 15%156 votes - 15% of all votes
- PES 2017 13%, 127 votes127 votes 13%127 votes - 13% of all votes
- NHL 17 6%, 62 votes62 votes 6%62 votes - 6% of all votes
- Madden NFL 17 6%, 57 votes57 votes 6%57 votes - 6% of all votes
- MLB The Show 16 2%, 21 vote21 vote 2%21 vote - 2% of all votes
Total Votes: 1007
December 18, 2016
- December 31, 2016
Voting is closed
Best Online Game in 2016
- Tom Clancy's The Division 37%, 473 votes473 votes 37%473 votes - 37% of all votes
- World of Warcraft: Legion 25%, 315 votes315 votes 25%315 votes - 25% of all votes
- Black Desert Online 17%, 215 votes215 votes 17%215 votes - 17% of all votes
- Star Wars: The Old Republic - Knights of the Eternal Throne 11%, 145 votes145 votes 11%145 votes - 11% of all votes
- Elder Scrolls Online DLCs (Dark Brotherhood, Thieves Guild) 8%, 109 votes109 votes 8%109 votes - 8% of all votes
- Archeage 3.0 - Revelation 2%, 27 votes27 votes 2%27 votes - 2% of all votes
Total Votes: 1284
December 18, 2016
- December 31, 2016
Voting is closed
Best Strategy Game in 2016
- Civilization VI 45%, 583 votes583 votes 45%583 votes - 45% of all votes
- XCOM 2 25%, 326 votes326 votes 25%326 votes - 25% of all votes
- Total War: Warhammer 18%, 235 votes235 votes 18%235 votes - 18% of all votes
- Hearts of Iron IV 9%, 111 votes111 votes 9%111 votes - 9% of all votes
- Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence - Ascension 2%, 24 votes24 votes 2%24 votes - 2% of all votes
- Atlas Reactor 1%, 12 votes12 votes 1%12 votes - 1% of all votes
Total Votes: 1291
December 18, 2016
- December 31, 2016
Voting is closed
Best Indie Game in 2016
- Firewatch 32%, 332 votes332 votes 32%332 votes - 32% of all votes
- Inside 23%, 243 votes243 votes 23%243 votes - 23% of all votes
- Darkest Dungeon 18%, 184 votes184 votes 18%184 votes - 18% of all votes
- The Witness 10%, 108 votes108 votes 10%108 votes - 10% of all votes
- The Banner Saga 2 10%, 104 votes104 votes 10%104 votes - 10% of all votes
- Obduction 3%, 36 votes36 votes 3%36 votes - 3% of all votes
- Oxenfree 2%, 25 votes25 votes 2%25 votes - 2% of all votes
- Severed 1%, 9 votes9 votes 1%9 votes - 1% of all votes
Total Votes: 1041
December 18, 2016
- December 31, 2016
Voting is closed
Best Management/Simulation
- Planet Coaster 43%, 386 votes386 votes 43%386 votes - 43% of all votes
- Football Manager 2017 25%, 230 votes230 votes 25%230 votes - 25% of all votes
- Farming Simulator 17 24%, 221 vote221 vote 24%221 vote - 24% of all votes
- Motorsport Manager 8%, 71 vote71 vote 8%71 vote - 8% of all votes
Total Votes: 908
December 18, 2016
- December 31, 2016
Voting is closed
Best DLC in 2016
- The Witcher III: Blood and Wine 83%, 1158 votes1158 votes 83%1158 votes - 83% of all votes
- Fallout 4: Far Harbor 9%, 128 votes128 votes 9%128 votes - 9% of all votes
- Tom Clancy's The Division - Survival 5%, 71 vote71 vote 5%71 vote - 5% of all votes
- Destiny: Rise of Iron 3%, 37 votes37 votes 3%37 votes - 3% of all votes
Total Votes: 1394
December 18, 2016
- December 31, 2016
Voting is closed
Best Graphics in 2016
- Battlefield 1 38%, 576 votes576 votes 38%576 votes - 38% of all votes
- DOOM 23%, 343 votes343 votes 23%343 votes - 23% of all votes
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End 17%, 261 vote261 vote 17%261 vote - 17% of all votes
- Final Fantasy XV 5%, 76 votes76 votes 5%76 votes - 5% of all votes
- Tom Clancy's The Division 5%, 74 votes74 votes 5%74 votes - 5% of all votes
- Forza Horizon 3 4%, 67 votes67 votes 4%67 votes - 4% of all votes
- Dishonored 2 4%, 67 votes67 votes 4%67 votes - 4% of all votes
- Gears of War 4 3%, 49 votes49 votes 3%49 votes - 3% of all votes
Total Votes: 1513
December 18, 2016
- December 31, 2016
Voting is closed
Best Game in 2016
- Battlefield 1 26%, 373 votes373 votes 26%373 votes - 26% of all votes
- Overwatch 14%, 194 votes194 votes 14%194 votes - 14% of all votes
- Dark Souls III 12%, 174 votes174 votes 12%174 votes - 12% of all votes
- Dishonored 2 11%, 157 votes157 votes 11%157 votes - 11% of all votes
- Deus Ex: Mankind Divided 8%, 119 votes119 votes 8%119 votes - 8% of all votes
- Civilization VI 5%, 76 votes76 votes 5%76 votes - 5% of all votes
- DOOM 5%, 74 votes74 votes 5%74 votes - 5% of all votes
- Forza Horizon 3 5%, 68 votes68 votes 5%68 votes - 5% of all votes
- XCOM 2 4%, 60 votes60 votes 4%60 votes - 4% of all votes
- Titanfall 2 4%, 56 votes56 votes 4%56 votes - 4% of all votes
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End 4%, 50 votes50 votes 4%50 votes - 4% of all votes
- Total War: Warhammer 2%, 26 votes26 votes 2%26 votes - 2% of all votes
Total Votes: 1427
December 18, 2016
- December 31, 2016
Voting is closed
Most Anticipated Game in 2017
- Mass Effect: Andromeda 35%, 526 votes526 votes 35%526 votes - 35% of all votes
- Red Dead Redemption 2 20%, 298 votes298 votes 20%298 votes - 20% of all votes
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 10%, 145 votes145 votes 10%145 votes - 10% of all votes
- Horizon: Zero Dawn 8%, 114 votes114 votes 8%114 votes - 8% of all votes
- Resident Evil VII: Biohazard 7%, 103 votes103 votes 7%103 votes - 7% of all votes
- Star Wars Battlefront 2 6%, 94 votes94 votes 6%94 votes - 6% of all votes
- Prey 5%, 76 votes76 votes 5%76 votes - 5% of all votes
- Gran Turismo Sport 4%, 55 votes55 votes 4%55 votes - 4% of all votes
- Destiny 2 3%, 43 votes43 votes 3%43 votes - 3% of all votes
- Sea of Thieves 2%, 32 votes32 votes 2%32 votes - 2% of all votes
Total Votes: 1486
December 18, 2016
- December 31, 2016
Voting is closed
