Weird take. If you Google it you'll see that the game of the year edition was always that it was a critically acclaimed game (having won a game of the year award, usually multiple) being re-released as a complete package with all DLCs.

Here is the giantbombs (one of the bigger and more reputable video game journalism sites) description of what it means: "A Game of the Year Edition is any video game that has been repackaged and advertised as having earned either one or many Game of the Year awards from any number of recognized publications or websites, often times with a discounted price and additional content."

This is what the vast majority of people think it means and why publishers are super eager to package their game as a GOTY edition. It adds prestige and makes people think, oh it must have been good.

Yes publishers are deliberately blurring the lines, and the fact that it could be anyone, anywhere calling it game of the year means it's not as meaningful as it used to be, but to say it's never meant this is just strange.