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One of the Most Competitive Years in Recent Memory
As 2025 draws to a close, awards season returns with one of its most competitive line ups to date. The Game Awards 2025 has officially revealed its nominees, spanning blockbuster franchises, boundary pushing indie titles, and major creative achievements across the medium.
The upcoming ceremony on December 11 will once again take place in Los Angeles, with a global broadcast available across multiple platforms. Public voting is now open through the event’s official website.
Clair Obscur Sets a New Awards Record
The headline story of this year’s announcement is the remarkable performance of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The turn based RPG from Sandfall Interactive has secured a historic 12 nominations, making it the most nominated game in the history of The Game Awards.
Its categories include Game of the Year, Art Direction, Narrative, Score and Music, Best RPG, Best Indie, and Best Performance. For a title from a comparatively small team, the achievement is unprecedented.
The Game Awards 2025 Nominations
Game of the Year
The Game Awards 2025 confirmed the six finalists for Game of the Year, highlighting the diversity of genres and creative direction that defined the year:
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Hades II
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Below is a condensed list of the more prominent categories announced, showcasing the breadth of this year’s achievements.
Best Game Direction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Hades II
- Split Fiction
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
- Christopher Larkin, Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Darren Korb, Hades II
- Lorien Testard, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Toma Otowa, Ghost of Yōtei
- Woodkid and Ludvig Forssell, Death Stranding 2
Best Audio Design
- Battlefield 6
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Silent Hill f
Best Performance
- Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Charlie Cox, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Erika Ishii, Ghost of Yōtei
- Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Konatsu Kato, Silent Hill f
- Troy Baker, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Celebrating a Wide Spectrum of Games
Categories continue across accessibility, community support, independent development, esports, mobile, multiplayer, adaptation, and more at The Game Awards 2025. The full nominee list reflects both the scale of modern development and the growing creative diversity of the industry.
Notably, Hades II, Ghost of Yōtei, Death Stranding 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II appear across multiple categories, marking another strong year for established studios.
Most Anticipated Games
The Most Anticipated category includes heavy hitters such as Grand Theft Auto VI, Marvel’s Wolverine, and The Witcher IV, signalling another packed release slate ahead.
A Grand Ceremony Set for 11 December
The Game Awards 2025 will stream live globally on December 11 . With one of the strongest nominee line ups in recent years and a record breaking indie showcase at the centre, this year’s ceremony is already shaping up to be one of the most closely watched yet.
