The anticipation is building as The Game Awards 2025 approaches, set to captivate audiences on December 11. In a spectacular announcement, Geoff Keighley and the awards team have unveiled the full lineup of nominees for this year’s event, spotlighting the contenders for the highly coveted Game of the Year award. While some of this year’s nominees were leaked prematurely, the excitement remains undiminished as fans eagerly await the ceremony.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is leading the pack with an impressive 12 nominations across various categories, including three for outstanding performances by the game’s actors. Even without those nominations, the game stays ahead of its closest rivals, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Ghost of Yotei, both securing seven nominations each. Hades 2 follows with six nominations, while Hollow Knight Silksong garners five. In spite of its Game of the Year nomination, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has achieved just three nods in total. Also noteworthy is Donkey Kong Bananza, which, despite being a Game of the Year nominee, has only two nominations, including one for Best Family Game.
A Glimpse at Noteworthy Nominations
Exciting developments among recent releases include Marvel’s Deadpool VR, which has been nominated for Best VR/AR Game ahead of its official release on November 18, 2025. Additionally, Dispatch has made its mark by entering the Best Debut Indie category following the release of its final episode on November 12.
Voting for The Game Awards 2025 is now open, inviting fans to visit the official website to cast their votes. As the excitement builds, here’s a comprehensive look at the nominees for this year’s awards:
The Game Awards 2025 Nominees Full List
Best Performance
- Ben Starr – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Charlie Cox – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Erika Ishii – Ghost of Yotei
- 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: Dawntrail
- Fortnite
- Helldivers 2
- Marvel Rivals
- No Man’s Sky
Best Mobile Game
- Destiny Rising
- Persona 5: The Phantom X
- Sonic Rumble
- Umamasume: Pretty Derby
- Wuthering Waves
Best Art Direction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Hades 2
- Hollow Knight Silksong
Best Score and Music
- Christopher Larkin – Hollow Knight Silksong
- Darren Korb – Hades 2
- Lorien Testard – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Toma Otowa – Ghost of Yotei
- Woodkid and Ludvig Forssell – Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Best Audio Design
- Battlefield 6
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Silent Hill f
Best Adaptation
- A Minecraft Movie
- Devil May Cry
- Splinter Cell Deathwatch
- HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2
- Until Dawn
Best Narrative
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- Silent Hill f
Best Community Support
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail
- Fortnite
- Helldivers 2
- No Man’s Sky
Games for Impact
- Consume Me
- Despelote
- Lost Records: Bloom and 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 2
- Hollow Knight Silksong
Best Debut Indie Game
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Despelote
- Dispatch
- Megabonk
Best VR/AR Game
- Alien: Rogue Incursion
- Arken Age
- Ghost Town
- Marvel’s Deadpool VR
- The Midnight Walk
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 Game
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Hollow Knight Silksong
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Split Fiction
Best Role-Playing Game
- Avowed
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- 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 REVO World Stage
Best Action Game
- Battlefield 6
- DOOM: The Dark Ages
- Hades 2
- Ninja Gaiden 4
- Shinobi: Art of Vengence
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
- EA Sports 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 Yotei
- Hades 2
- Split Fiction
Game of the Year
- Hollow Knight Silksong
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Hades 2