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Google announced its U.S. Google Play Best of 2020 selections on December 1, 2020. Loóna: Bedtime Calm & Relax and Genshin Impact were the editorial winners for best app and game; separate Users’ Choice awards went to Disney+, SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off, Bad Boys for Life, and Stephen King’s If It Bleeds. These are historical U.S. awards, not current rankings or a promise that every title remains available.
The headline U.S. winners
Google’s announcement separated its editorial Best App and Best Game picks from titles selected through Users’ Choice voting.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Google Play gift code | $200.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Google Play gift code | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Google Play gift code | $25.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Google Play gift code | $100.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Google Play gift code | $200.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| Award | 2020 U.S. winner |
|---|---|
| Best App | Loóna: Bedtime Calm & Relax |
| Best Game | Genshin Impact |
| Users’ Choice App | Disney+ |
| Users’ Choice Game | SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off |
| Users’ Choice Movie | Bad Boys for Life |
| Users’ Choice Book | If It Bleeds — Stephen King |
Google’s full U.S. results are in its Best of 2020 winners announcement.
Google’s app selections
Overall Best App
Loóna: Bedtime Calm & Relax was Google Play’s U.S. editorial Best App of 2020. It also appeared among the Hidden Gem app selections.
#1 Best Overall
- No returns and no refunds on gift cards. Good for use on the US Google Play Store only. Terms apply - see below.
- Google Play gift codes can be used on the Google Play Store, the official app store for Android, to purchase apps, games, and more.
- To redeem, enter code in the Play Store app or play.google.com.
- Endless games to explore: Find and play old and new favorites – from mind-bending puzzles to epic quests and more.
- Just the app you’re looking for: Millions of apps means millions of ways to get things done, learn something new, and maybe even meet someone special.
Category honorees
Google’s category lists are selections, not a stated first-to-fifth ranking.
| Category | Selected apps |
|---|---|
| Personal Growth | Paired: App for Couples | Relationship Advice; Centr, by Chris Hemsworth; Speekoo; Intellect; Jumprope: How-to Videos |
| Hidden Gems | Paperless Post Flyer Invitation Maker; Loóna: Bedtime Calm & Relax; Explorest—Photo Locations; Cappuccino; Tayasui Sketches |
| Everyday Essentials | Grid Diary; Whisk; The Pattern; ZOOM Cloud Meetings; Calmaria |
| Apps for Good | GreenChoice; Medito; ShareTheMeal |
| Apps for Fun | Disney+; VITA; Reface; Dolby On; Bazaart |
Disney+ was the Users’ Choice App winner; its appearance in the Apps for Fun category is a separate recognition.
Rank #2
- No returns and no refunds on gift cards. Good for use on the US Google Play Store only. Terms apply - see below.
- Google Play gift codes can be used on the Google Play Store, the official app store for Android, to purchase apps, games, and more.
- To redeem, enter code in the Play Store app or play.google.com.
- Endless games to explore: Find and play old and new favorites – from mind-bending puzzles to epic quests and more.
- Just the app you’re looking for: Millions of apps means millions of ways to get things done, learn something new, and maybe even meet someone special.
Google’s game selections
Overall Best Game
Genshin Impact received Google Play’s U.S. editorial Best Game award. It also appeared in the Innovative Games category.
Category honorees
The category titles below are honorees, not a claimed ranking within each group.
Rank #3
- No returns and no refunds on gift cards. Good for use on the US Google Play Store only. Terms apply - see below.
- Google Play gift codes can be used on the Google Play Store, the official app store for Android, to purchase apps, games, and more.
- To redeem, enter code in the Play Store app or play.google.com.
- Endless games to explore: Find and play old and new favorites – from mind-bending puzzles to epic quests and more.
- Just the app you’re looking for: Millions of apps means millions of ways to get things done, learn something new, and maybe even meet someone special.
| Category | Selected games |
|---|---|
| Indie Games | Cookies Must Die; Maze Machina; Sky: Children of the Light; Inbento; GRIS |
| Casual Games | Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells; DreamWorks Trolls Pop; SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off; Disney Frozen Adventure; EverMerge |
| Innovative Games | Fancade; Minimal Dungeon RPG; The Gardens Between; Genshin Impact; Ord. |
| Competitive Games | Legends of Runeterra; The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross; Bullet Echo; Gwent: The Witcher Card Game; Brawlhalla |
SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off won Users’ Choice Game, while Genshin Impact was the editorial Best Game.
The category selections are reproduced in contemporary coverage by Droid Life; Google’s official announcement is the primary source for the headline winners and award framework.
Rank #4
- No returns and no refunds on gift cards. Good for use on the US Google Play Store only. Terms apply - see below.
- Google Play gift codes can be used on the Google Play Store, the official app store for Android, to purchase apps, games, and more.
- To redeem, enter code in the Play Store app or play.google.com.
- Endless games to explore: Find and play old and new favorites – from mind-bending puzzles to epic quests and more.
- Just the app you’re looking for: Millions of apps means millions of ways to get things done, learn something new, and maybe even meet someone special.
Google’s U.S. movie picks
Google’s selected U.S. movie titles were:
- Bill & Ted Face the Music
- Just Mercy
- Miss Juneteenth
- Onward
- Parasite
The separate Users’ Choice Movie winner was Bad Boys for Life. The five selected films are not identified as a sales chart or as a ranked list.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Google’s U.S. book picks
Google’s selected U.S. books were:
- A Promised Land — Barack Obama
- The City We Became — N. K. Jemisin
- Riot Baby — Tochi Onyebuchi
- Solutions and Other Problems — Allie Brosh
- You Had Me at Hola — Alexis Daria
The separate Users’ Choice Book winner was Stephen King’s If It Bleeds. Google called this category “Best Books”; these were Google Play digital-book selections, not a declared sales ranking.
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- No returns and no refunds on gift cards. Good for use on the US Google Play Store only. Terms apply - see below.
- Google Play gift codes can be used on the Google Play Store, the official app store for Android, to purchase apps, games, and more.
- New finds, old favorites, one card. Choose a unique gift card design featuring your favorite games or apps. This card can also be used for anything else on Google Play. There’s something for everyone, so find what’s yours. Go Play.
- Easy to use: With a Google Play gift code, you never have to worry about expiration dates or fees.
- Endless games to explore: Find and play old and new favorites – from mind-bending puzzles to epic quests and more.
How the awards worked
Google announced the voting period on November 9, 2020. Users could vote for shortlisted apps, games, movies, and books until November 23; Google announced the winners on December 1. The voting process produced the Users’ Choice awards, distinct from Google’s editorial Best App and Best Game selections. The dates and voting details appear in Google’s voting announcement.
Quick Recap
What these results do—and don’t—show
- They are U.S. results. Google published country-specific editions, and winners differed by market. For example, its India list named Sleep stories for calm sleep & meditation by Wysa as Best App and Legends of Runeterra as Best Game. See Google’s India winners announcement.
- “Best” is not the same as “most downloaded” or “top-selling.” The editorial awards, user-voted awards, and selected movie and book lists use different labels; none of them establishes a universal download, revenue, sales, or review-score ranking.
- They record 2020 selections, not 2026 availability. Apps and games can disappear, change names or business models, or stop supporting newer devices. Film and book listings, prices, rights, and regional availability can also change. The award alone does not confirm a title’s current listing or how it can be accessed.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
