The Game Awards has published the complete list of nominees for its 2025 edition, marking the start of one of the busiest periods in the annual gaming calendar. The event returns on December 11, 2025, at 17:30 PST (01:30 UTC), with Geoff Keighley once again serving as host. This year’s lineup reflects the volume of high-profile releases and new projects that shaped the industry, alongside several debut titles that gained momentum in different communities.
The 2025 Game of the Year category includes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Hades II, and Hollow Knight: Silksong. These six games were consistently present in industry discussions across the year, spanning genres ranging from action-adventure to narrative-driven RPGs and platformers.
In addition to the awards, the event is known for revealing upcoming projects from major publishers. Previous shows featured world premieres for titles like The Outer Worlds 2, The Witcher IV, and Borderlands 4. With several major franchises currently in development cycles, this year’s ceremony is expected to include new announcements from studios preparing their next releases.
The publication of the nominee list prompted conversation online, particularly concerning the placement of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in the Independent Game category. Critics questioned its eligibility based on its budget and team size compared to other independent titles listed. No formal clarification has been shared regarding category guidelines for this year’s selection process.
Full List for The Game Awards 2025 Nominees
| Category | Nominees |
|---|---|
| Game of the Year | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Donkey Kong Bananza Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Hades II Hollow Knight: Silksong |
| Best Game Direction | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Ghost of Yōtei Hades II Split Fiction |
| Best Adaptation | A Minecraft Movie Devil May Cry The Last of Us Season 2 Splinter Cell: Deathwatch Until Dawn |
| Best Narrative | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Ghost of Yōtei Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Silent Hill f |
| Best Art Direction | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Ghost of Yōtei Hades II Hollow Knight: Silksong |
| Best Score and Music | Hollow Knight: Silksong Hades II Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Ghost of Yōtei Death Stranding 2: On the Beach |
| Best Audio Design | Battlefield 6 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Ghost of Yōtei Silent Hill f |
| Best Performance | Ben Starr Charlie Cox Erika Ishii Jennifer English Konatsu Kato Troy Baker |
| Innovation in Accessibility | Assassin’s Creed Shadows Atomfall Doom: The Dark Ages EA Sports FC 26 South of Midnight |
| Games for Impact | Consume Me Despelote Lost Records: Bloom & Rage South of Midnight Wanderstop |
| Best Ongoing Game | Final Fantasy XIV Fortnite Helldivers 2 Marvel Rivals No Man’s Sky |
| Best Community Support | Baldur’s Gate 3 Final Fantasy XIV Fortnite Helldivers 2 No Man’s Sky |
| Best Independent Game | Absolum Ball x Pit Blue Prince Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Hades II Hollow Knight: Silksong |
| Best Debut Indie Game | Blue Prince Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Despelote Dispatch Megabonk |
| Best Mobile Game | Destiny: Rising Persona 5: The Phantom X Sonic Rumble Umamusume: Pretty Derby Wuthering Waves |
| Best AR/VR Game | Alien: Rogue Incursion Arken Age Ghost Town Marvel’s Deadpool VR The Midnight Walk |
| Best Action Game | Battlefield 6 Doom: The Dark Ages Hades II Ninja Gaiden 4 Shinobi: Art of Vengeance |
| Best Action Adventure Game | Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Ghost of Yōtei Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Hollow Knight: Silksong Split Fiction |
| Best RPG | Avowed, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Kingdom Come: Deliverance II The Outer Worlds 2 Monster Hunter Wilds |
| Best Fighting Game | 2XKO Capcom Fighting Collection 2 Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O World Stage |
| Best Family Game | Donkey Kong Bananza LEGO Party! LEGO Voyagers Mario Kart World Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Split Fiction |
| Best Simulation/Strategy Game | The Alters, Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles Jurassic World Evolution 3 Sid Meier’s Civilization VII Tempest Rising Two Point Museum |
| Best Sports/Racing Game | EA Sports FC 26, F1 25 Mario Kart Worlds Rematch Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds |
| Best Multiplayer | Arc Raiders Battlefield 6 Elden Ring Nightreign Peak Split Fiction |
| Most Anticipated Game | 007 First Light Grand Theft Auto VI Marvel’s Wolverine Resident Evil Requiem The Witcher IV |
| Best Esports Game | Counter-Strike 2 Dota 2 League of Legends Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Valorant |
