The Game Award 2025 reveals a clear frontrunner

The Game Award 2025 has finally revealed the nominees in categories such as best racing game, best sports game, and coveted game of the year. This was one of the best years of play in recent memory. Nintendo has introduced Switch 2the next console and handheld hybrid, and xbox dipped its toes into the handheld market with Rog xbox ally.

There has been an amazing hit in the field from small indies like The big blue one and Not reliableand Blockbusters are the same DOM: The Dark Ages, Split the Mythagain Monster Hunter Wilds. There have been a few surprises of late Arc Raiders and Delivery.

But only one game can take the 1625th game of the year, and there are three nominated. Read on to learn how to vote for the game that gets 2025 and the full list of categories and nominees, from the best indie game to the best art direction.

Claire Exter: Expedition 33

Claire Exter: Expedition 33 Is the clear fan favorite to win the 2025 game of the year award. Made by a small group of passionate developers in France, this game combines action-based combat with believable characters to tell one of the most emotionally impactful stories this year. And, unlike every other suggested game of the year, GUARANTEE 33 It is not a sequel or franchise title, which can give you an extra edge among players.

GUARANTEE 33 It also leads the pack with an impressive 12 nominations this year in other categories, including best art direction and best narrative.

Dranding Death 2: On the Beach

Sequel to deideo kojima’s post-apocalyptic picpicpictic epic, A clean deathis another great ad-driven game with themes about connection, grief and loss. and clean death 2, HELLDIVERS 2, and A yotei ghostSony is the most nominated publisher this year with 19 nominations.

A clean death was one of the games of the year at the Game Awards 2019, but ultimately lost to software and activation Sekiro: shadows die twice. Let’s see if Kojima can take home the prize this time.

It’s a donkey

Nintendo took its APE Mascot and created one of the 3D platformers this year with Donkey Kong Banaz. The camaraderie between Donkey Kong and Daisy is endearing, and the Game’s innovative destruction machines make it fun to smash nature to pieces.

Nintendo has received many game of the year nominations throughout the years with games like The Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Fear of the metroidagain Super Mario Bros. Wonderbut he has not won the division since 2017 with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Hases 2

Hase was 2020’s Indie Darling. “Just one addicting” roguelite gameplay, an attractive cast of characters, and the courage of the world’s most daring books. Hases 2 brings the same but you turn the dial. With more gameplay analysis, places to explore, and gods to meet, it’s no wonder Hases 2 got the game of the year nomination.

Hase was nominated for game of the year in 2020, but lost Last for us is part 2. Now is another chance for it to win.

Hollow Knight Silksong

At once Hases 2 and GUARANTEE 33, Hollow Knight Silksong He completes the indie trifecta of the nominees this year. It’s amazing that this game actually came out this year after so many delays, but the wait definitely pays off. Its experimentation and difficulty pay off big, making it one of the best 2D environments in years.

Forerunner, It’s freewas nominated for the best debut indie game in 2017, but lost Inkobosh. Now, its sequel joined the big teams and the game of the year promotion. Talk about light!

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

This is a new surprise because it is as big as possible Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Yes, there are other games that can take their place in this promotion. Other nominees stayed in the cultural zeitgeist and were shoes. However, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2The dedication to historical accuracy and gameplay is amazing, and its story is more emotionally charged than the original game, making it an excellent medieval role-playing RPG.

The first game did not get the nomination of the previous shows, so it must be interesting for the devs to get their first nomination at the Awards Awards, and for the last game of the year category, no less.

How to vote in the 2025 prize draw

The Game Awards 2025 took place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California and will air on December 11. You can vote for your favorite games The Game Awards. All you have to do is create an account and log in to start voting right away. However, the winners are not just the popular vote.

In addition to fan votes, the game awards have “a jury of the 100 Media Global Media and Tooffencer, chosen by their history of serious video game evaluation. Special techniques also call other categories including eSports, accessibility and the best adaptation.” In the end, “winners are decided by a combined vote between the voting jury (90%) and public voting (10%). Fans can vote for their favorite games at goameaward.com.

Game Awards 2025: Full list of nominees

Aside from the six game of the year picks, here’s the full list of categories and picks for 2025.

Best Independent Game:

Best Indie Indie Game:

The best mobile game:

• Destiny: Rising

• Persona 5: Phantom X

• Sonic rumble

• Umamusume: It’s a good derby

• Whering waves

Virtual Reality / virtual reality game

• Alien: A rogue installation

• Age Aren

• Ghost Town

• Marvel’s Deadpool VR

• It’s a two-way trip

The best action game:

The best role-playing game:

Best fighting game:

• 2xko

• Fighting group 2

• Deadly fury: city of wolves

• Kirmal Kombat: Legacy Kollection

• Virtua Fighter 5 ReVoo World Stage

The best family game:

The best simulation game / strategies:

• Alters

• Tricks to Keep Sweet: The Ovivice Chronicles

• Jurassic World Evolution 3

• SID Meier’s Cicilication VII

• The storm is rising

• Two point museum

The best sports / racing game:

The best multiplayer game:

• Arc Raiders

• Battlefield 6

• Dancing Ring Elenging

• The top of the mountain

• Split the Myth

Good game orientation:

Best narration:

• Claire Exter: Expedition 33

• Dranding Death 2: On the Beach

• A yotei ghost

• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

• Quiet hill f

Best art direction:

Best score and music:

Best sound design:

Best performance:

• BENN Star in Claire Exter: Expedition 33

• Charlie Cox on Claire Exter: Expedition 33

• Erika Ishii in A yotei ghost

• Jennifer English in Claire Exter: Expedition 33

• Konatsu Kato In Quiet hill f

• Troy Baker in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Establishing Accessibility:

Impact games:

A game in progress:

• Final Fantasy XIV

• A fork

• HELLDIVERVIVERVIVERS II

• Marvel Rivals

• There is no human sky

Best Community Support:

• Baldur’s Gate III

• Final Fantasy XIV

• A fork

• HELLDIVERVIVERVIVERS II

• There is no human sky

The best game changer:

The most anticipated game:

• 007 first light

• Grand Theft Auto VI

• Wolvel’s Wolvel

• Good Bad Citizen

• The Witch IV

Content creator of the year:

• Cathedral

• Kai Cenat

• Mistantimp1tikal

• Sakura Miko

• Roasted peanuts

Best Esports Game:

Best Esports Athlete:

• Brawk – Brock Somerhalder (ProtectionWe are divided

• Chovy – jeong ji-hoon (League of LegendsWe are divided

• f0rsaken – jason susanto (ProtectionWe are divided

• Kakeru – Kakeru Watanabe (Street FighterWe are divided

• Menard – Saul Leonardo (Street FighterWe are divided

• Zyw0o – Mathieu Herbaut (Counter-Strike 2We are divided

Best team for ESPORTS: