Here Are The Game Awards 2025 Nominees

This morning, The Game Awards’ Geoff Keighley announced the nominees for The Game Awards 2025, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 becoming the most nominated game in history, earning 12 nominations. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Ghost of Yōtei each received seven nominations, while Hades II had six, Hollow Knight: Silksong got five, and Split Fiction received the nod in four categories.

In one of the most packed years in gaming history, it’s no surprise Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leads the way, as it was just an amazing experience. I have my work cut out for me, as I still haven’t completed half of the Game of the Year nominees: Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. The three I have reviewed are Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.

See the full list of nominees below.

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)

Best Ongoing Game

• Final Fantasy XIV
• Fortnite
• Helldivers 2
• Marvel Rivals
• No Man’s Sky

Best Mobile Game

• Destiny: Rising
• Persona5: The Phantom X
• Sonic Rumble
• Umamusume: Pretty Derby
• Wuthering Waves

Best Art Direction

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Hades II
• Hollow Knight: Silksong

Score & Music

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Hades II
• Hollow Knight: Silksong

Best Audio Design

• Battlefield 6
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Silent Hill f

Best Adaptation

• A Minecraft Movie
• Devil May Cry
• Splinter Cell: Deathwatch
• The Last of Us: Season 2
• 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 Community Support

• Baldur’s Gate 3
• Final Fantasy XIV
• Fortnite
• Helldivers 2
• No Man’s Sky

Games for Impact

• Consume Me
• Despelote
• Lost Records: Bloom & Rage
• South of Midnight
• Wanderstop

Best Multiplayer

• ARC Raiders
• Battlefield 6
• Elden Ring Nightreign
• Peak
• Split Fiction

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

Content Creator of the Year

• Caedrel
• Kai Cenat
• MoistCr1TiKaL
• Sakura Miko
• The Burnt Peanut

Most Anticipated Game

• 007 First Light
• Grand Theft Auto VI
• Marvel’s Wolverine
• Resident Evil Requiem
• The Witcher IV

Best Action / Adventure

• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Split Fiction

Best Role Playing Game

• Avowed
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• The Outer Worlds 2

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 Action Game

• Battlefield 6
• DOOM: The Dark Ages
• Hades II
• Ninja Gaiden 4
• Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

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

• Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles
• Jurassic World Evolution 3
• Sid Meier’s Civilization VII
• Tempest Rising
• The Alters
• Two Point Museum

Best Sports / Racing Game

• EA Sports FC 26
• F1 25
• Mario Kart World
• Rematch
• Sonic Racing Crossworlds

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)

Best Game Direction

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Hades II
• Split Fiction

Game of the Year

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Hades II
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2