2025's Game Awards is happening on December 11, and the nominees have all been announced! Here's who is nominated in each of the categories. If you'd like to submit your votes, you can do so here. Incredibly, Clair Obscur is up for 12 different awards, including Game of the Year to the surprise of no one, which makes it the most nominated game in the history of The Game Awards.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Ghost of Yotei both have 8 nominations each and Hades 2 comes in with 6.
GAME OF THE YEAR
Which game do you think deserves in win of Game of the Year in 2025? Is your winner not on this list?
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Hades II
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Nominees for Best Score & Music
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Hades II
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Nominees for Best Performance
- Ben Starr
- Charlie Cox
- Erika Ishii
- Jennifer English
- Konatsu Kato
- Troy Baker
Best Art Direction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Hades II
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
Best Ongoing Game
- Final Fantasy XIV
- Fortnite
- Helldivers 2
- Marvel Rivals
- No Man’s Sky
Best Mobile Game
- Destiny: Rising
- Persona 5: The Phantom X
- Sonic Rumble
- Umamusume: Pretty Derby
- Wuthering Waves
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 Audio Design
- Battlefield 6
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Silent Hill f
Best Independent Game
- Absolum
- Ball x Pit
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hades II
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
Best Community Support
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Final Fantasy XIV
- Fortnite
- Helldivers 2
- No Man’s Sky
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
Content Creator of the Year
- Caedrel
- Kai Cenat
- MoistCr1TiKaL
- Sakura Miko
- The Burnt Peanut
Best Debut Indie game
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Despelote
- Dispatch
- Megabonk
Best Role Playing Game
- Avowed
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- The Outer Worlds 2
- Monster Hunter Wilds
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 Action Game
- Battlefield 6
- Doom: The Dark Ages
- Hades II
- Ninja Gaiden 4
- Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
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
Innovation in Accessibility
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows
- Atomfall
- Doom: The Dark Ages
- EA Sports FC 26
- South of Midnight
Best Family Game
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- LEGO Party!
- LEGO Voyagers
- Mario Kart World
- Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
- Split Fiction
Best Sim/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 World
- Rematch
- Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
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
Best Game Direction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Hades II
- Split Fiction
Best Esports Athlete
- brawk
- Chovy
- f0rsakeN
- Kakeru
- MenaRD
- Zyw0o
Best Esports Game
- Counter-Strike 2
- DOTA 2
- League of Legends
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
- Valorant
Tell us what your votes are going to be for in the comments below and most importantly, tell us why!
Comments
It's funny, I haven't played any of this year's nominations for Game of the Year.
I never finished the original Death Stranding because I wanted to wait for it to come out on PC because I just hate playing a lot of games with a controller that would clearly be better with keyboard and mouse which is why I never gave 2 a go.
Clair Obscur looks like a beautiful game and ever person I have talked to had nothing but amazing things to say about it, it just wasn't really my type of game. I fully expect it to win Game of the Year.
Donkey Kong... I bought it and never had time to play it yet. I was waiting for "the right moment" to just sink into it but that moment never came. I've heard a mix of commentary on the game but I really don't believe for a moment that this deserves to be here at the top. Is it there just because Nintendo didn't have a first-party title in the category? Feels rigged lol.
Hades II I understand is missing a bit of the charm from the first game, but otherwise is a solid game. The timeline on it feels... rushed maybe? I'm looking forward to diving into it in the future, because the first one was amazing, but the second iteration really didn't seem to have the same OMG AMAZING that the first did.
Hollow Knight: Silksong being in this category makes sense. It sold a boat load of copies, the number of positive reviews is huge, and I mean, it is Hollow Knight its bound to be great. It's still on Game Pass so go give it a play if you haven't.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, I had to look this one up because I could have sworn this was a last year release but no, it was the beginning of February. I remember hearing a lot about it, I know people have been positive about the game, but is it Game of the Year worthy?
It's a shame Metroid Prime 4: Beyond comes out in a couple of weeks because I bet this would have been on the list if it did. I hope next year's awards showcases it because December may as well be 2026 but also, next year is looking insane for games. Grand Theft Auto VI, The Witcher IV, and Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, just to name a few, will likely eclipse it and I'll be making the same comment next year about how Metroid is only on the list because Nintendo didn't have anything better. Let's be real though, GTA 6 is a titan and a half and it's already won Game of the Year for 2026.
I am happy to see Borderlands 4 didn't make it. It feels messed up to feel that way because historically speaking, I've loved Borderlands titles. I just had zero desire to pick it up and from everything I've heard, I made the right call; 2K and Gearbox have lost the plot. I'll give it a go at 75% off when it gets a huge discount next year at some point, but yeah, we'll be waiting on that one.