Every year, Google asks Play Store users to vote for their favorite apps, and that's no different for 2020 — the contest was open through November 23. Now the company has announced which developers won the sought-after user award and has also revealed which apps and games have received trophies from Play Store editors.
Play Store users could choose from a selection of nominees consisting of apps like Vimeo, Microsoft Office, Whisk, Disney+, Reface, and more, and apparently, most people loved Disney's new streaming service the most. That's no surprise when you consider that the service has been downloaded more than 50 million times on the Play Store as of November 2020, a number only one other, less sexy contestant (Microsoft Office) could compete with.
Play Store users were asked to vote for their favorite game, movie, and book of the year. The Users' Choice 2020 winners are:
- App of 2020: Disney+
- Game of 2020: SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off
- Movie of 2020: Bad Boys for Life
- Book of 2020: If It Bleeds
The Play Store editors also sat down to decide which apps and games they like the most, and in contrast to the Users' Choice Award, there are more granular categories. In the editors' opinion, Loóna was the best app of the year, a wellbeing service that helps you calm down and fall asleep better with original music and immersive stories.
The Play Store editors' best game of 2020 is Genshin Impact, an open-world RPG our resident gaming expert Matthew Sholtz called "the new benchmark for free-to-play mobile games."
Many other developers have also received smaller awards as part of other categories. You can check them out here:
Best App of 2020
- Loóna: Bedtime Calm & Relax by Loona Inc.
Best Personal Growth Apps
- Paired: App for Couples | Relationship Advice by Better Half Ltd.
- Centr, by Chris Hemsworth by Loup Pty Ltd
- Speekoo by LearnMyLanguage
- Intellect by The Intellect Company
- Jumprope: How-to Videos by Jumprope
Best Hidden Gem Apps
- Paperless Post Flyer Invitation Maker, Text Invite by Paperless Post
- Loóna: Bedtime Calm & Relax by Loona Inc.
- Explorest-Photo Locations by Explorest Inc.
- Cappuccino by Olivier Desmoulin
- Tayasui Sketches by Tayasui
Best Everyday Essential Apps
- Grid Diary - Journal, Planner by Sumi Interactive
- Whisk: Turn Recipes into Shareable Shopping Lists by whisk.com
- The Pattern by Pattern Home, Inc.
- ZOOM Cloud Meetings by zoom.us
- Calmaria by ABDZ
Best Apps for Good
- GreenChoice: Healthy Grocery Shopping by GreenChoice, PBC
- Medito by Medito for Mindfulness, Meditation and Sleep
- ShareTheMeal: Donate to Charity and Solve Hunger by United Nations
Best Apps for Fun
Best Game of 2020
- Genshin Impact by miHoYo Limited
Best Indie Games
- Cookies Must Die by Rebel Twins
- Maze Machina by Arnold Rauers
- Sky: Children of the Light by thatgamecompany inc
- Inbento by Afterburn
- GRIS by DevolverDigital
Best Casual Games
- Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells by Zynga
- DreamWorks Trolls Pop: Bubble Shooter & Collection by Huuuge Games - Play Together
- SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off by Tilting Point
- Disney Frozen Adventure by Jam City, Inc.
- EverMerge by Big Fish Games
Best Innovative Games
- Fancade by Martin Magni
- Minimal Dungeon RPG by CapPlay
- The Gardens Between by The Voxel Agents
- Genshin Impact by miHoYo Limited
- Ord. by Crescent Moon Games
Best Competitive Games
- Legends of Runeterra by Riot Games, Inc
- The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross by Netmarble
- Bullet Echo by ZeptoLab
- Gwent: The Witcher Card Game by CD PROJEKT S.A.
- Brawlhalla by Ubisoft Entertainment