Shroud has sparked controversy by claiming that The Game Awards are “rigged” after his favored choice, Arc Raiders, missed out on a Game of The Year nomination.
Recently announced nominations for The Game Awards 2025 have positioned Sandfall’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as a front-runner with a record-breaking 12 nominations. However, Embark Studios’ Arc Raiders only secured a spot in the Best Multiplayer category, contending with titles like Battlefield 6 and Elden Ring: Nightreign.
Game of the Year Contenders
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Hades 2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Before the nominations were announced, Canadian streamer Michael ‘Shroud’ Grzesiek, known for his expertise in competitive multiplayer shooters, urged his followers to support Arc Raiders for Game of the Year 2025 over the popular Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, emphasizing that the multiplayer community is often overlooked.
Shroud, a former professional Counter-Strike player with a huge fan base of 6.8 million YouTube subscribers and 11.3 million Twitch followers, has been a vocal supporter of Arc Raiders. During a recent Twitch stream, he addressed the nominations, suggesting that the game’s use of AI-generated voice work might have hindered its recognition for Game of the Year. “The world is just not ready for AI in video games, not yet,” Shroud remarked. “But, hey, at least they nominated it for something.”
Voicing his frustration, Shroud declared, “Once again, another year, another rigged year. That’s crazy.”
Shroud’s Critique on Nominations
As the year 2025 draws to a close, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leads the charge for Game of the Year accolades. Among other contenders, Nintendo Switch 2’s exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza has drawn Shroud’s criticism. “Imagine Donkey Kong, too… if Donkey Kong would win, this award show is just chalked,” he stated emphatically.
Shroud conceded that Expedition 33 might win Game of the Year, although he expressed a preference for Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 to take the honor. He anticipated a win for Arc Raiders in the Best Multiplayer category, while predicting Battlefield 6 would clinch Best Action. Shroud also voiced his surprise at Arc Raiders’ exclusion from the best Audio Design category, despite its acclaim.
Previously, Shroud had expressed skepticism about the voting process at The Game Awards. “All the f***ing awards are rigged anyway, who cares?” he exclaimed. The Game Awards, hosted by Geoff Keighley, utilizes a voting system combining input from media, influencers, and fans, with media traditionally holding more sway. Keighley has considered increasing public voting involvement but is wary of potential manipulation.
The Game Awards ceremony will take place on December 11, 2025, at 5pm PT/8pm ET.