The Game Awards announces Game of the Year 2025 nominees

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Hades 2, and Hollow Knight: Silksong score major noms at this year’s GOTY contest
Image: The Game Awards
The Game Awards announced its nominees for Game of the Year 2025 during a livestream on Monday, and while there were some expected picks, it was certainly a big, big year for indies. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Hades 2, and Hollow Knight: Silksong are all up for Game of the Year.
Those three are joined by Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. The six GOTY nominees line up with our own predictions for this year’s frontrunners. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was the most-recognized game this year, with 12 nominations across 10 categories.
Now that the nominees have been revealed, the next round of voting begins. The Game Awards voting jury will also select from nominees for categories like Best RPG, Best Narrative, and many more. Fans can cast their own vote for Game of the Year through Dec. 10.
The Game Awards 2025 will stream live on Thursday, Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. EST/4:30 p.m. PST.
Game of the Year
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Hades 2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
Best Art Direction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2 On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Hades 2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
Best Audio Design
- Battlefield 6
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Silent Hill f
Best Game Direction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Hades 2
- Split Fiction
Best Multiplayer
- Arc Raiders
- Battlefield 6
- Elden Ring: Nightreign
- Peak
- Split Fiction
Best Narrative
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- Silent Hill f
Best Performance
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Jennifer English
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Ben Starr
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Charlie Cox
- Ghost of Yotei – Erika Ishii
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – Troy Baker
- Silent Hill f – Konatsu Kato
Best Score & Music
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Hades 2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
Best Action
- Battlefield 6
- Doom: The Dark Ages
- Hades 2
- Ninja Gaiden 4
- Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
Best Action/Adventure Game
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Split Fiction
Best Family Game
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Lego Party
- Lego Voyagers
- Mario Kart World
- Sonic Racing Crossworlds
- Split Fiction
Best Fighting Game
- 2XKO
- Capcom Fighting Collection 2
- Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
- Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection
- Virtua Fighter 5 REVO
Best Independent Game
- Absolum
- Ball X Pit
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hades 2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
Best Mobile Game
- Destiny Rising
- Persona 5: The Phantom X
- Sonic Rumble
- Umamusume: Pretty Derby
- Wuthering Waves
Best Ongoing Game
- Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail
- Fortnite
- Helldivers 2
- Marvel Rivals
- No Man’s Sky
Best RPG
- Avowed
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- Monster Hunter Wilds
- The Outer Worlds 2
Best Sports/Racing Game
- EA Sports FC 26
- F1 25
- Mario Kart World
- Rematch
- Sonic Racing Crossworlds
Best Strategy/Sim Game
- Civilization 7
- Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
- Jurassic World Evolution 3
- The Alters
- Tempest Rising
- Two Point Museum
Best VR/AR Game
- Alien: Rogue Incursion
- Arken Age
- Deadpool VR
- Ghost Town
- The Midnight Walk
Best Adaptation
- A Minecraft Movie
- Devil May Cry
- Splinter Cell Deathwatch
- The Last of Us season 2
- Until Dawn
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Final Fantasy 14
- Fortnite
- Helldivers 2
- No Man’s Sky
Debut Indie Game
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Despelote
- Dispatch
- Megabonk
Games for Impact
- Consume Me
- Despelote
- Lost Records: Bloom and Rage
- South of Midnight
- Wanderstop
Best Esports Game
- Counter-Strike 2
- Dota 2
- League of Legends
- Mobile Legends Bang Bang
- Valorant
Best Esports Athlete
- Brawk
- Chovy
- Forsaken
- Kakeru
- Menard
- Zywoo
Best Esports Team
- Gen.G (League of Legends)
- NRG (Valorant)
- Team Falcons (Dota 2)
- Team Liquid PH (Mobile Legends Bang Bang)
- Team Vitality (Counter-Strike 2)
Content Creator of the Year
- Caedrel
- Kai Cenat
- MoistCr1tikal
- Sakura Miko
- The Burnt Peanut
Most Anticipated Game
- 007 First Light
- Grand Theft Auto 6
- Marvel’s Wolverine
- Resident Evil Requiem
- The Witcher 4




