2025 Game of the Year Nominees: A Comprehensive Year in Review

The Game Awards 2025 will celebrate the most remarkable moments in gaming. Hosted by Geoff Keighley, this marks the 12th annual event recognizing exceptional contributions to the video game industry. The event is a significant part of the gaming community, often hailed as “A Great Year for Games.” As in previous years, the 2025 nominees reflect both critical acclaim and cultural impact across a diverse range of genres.

2025 Game of the Year Nominees

The nominees for the 2025 Game of the Year have been announced and fan voting is currently active. Here’s a look at the contenders:

• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
  • Developer: Warhorse Studios
  • Release Date: February 2025
  • Notable for its immersive medieval RPG experience and anticipation stemming from its predecessor.
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
  • Developer: Sandfall Interactive
  • Release Date: April 2025
  • Sales: 5 million copies by October
  • Notable for its soundtrack, creativity, and art direction.
• Hades II
  • Developer: Supergiant Games
  • Release Date: Early May 2025
  • Recognized for polished gameplay and strong narrative, retaining community engagement from the start.
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
  • Developer: Hideo Kojima
  • Release Date: Summer 2025
  • Highly anticipated, with marketing driven by Kojima’s reputation.
• Donkey Kong Bananza
  • Release Date: July 2025
  • Part of a major Nintendo franchise known for its acclaimed titles.
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
  • Release Date: Early September 2025
  • Had significant demand, being the most wishlisted game on Steam with 5.2 million wishlists.
  • Reportedly crashed Steam servers at launch.

Honorable Mentions

• Ghost of Yotei
  • Release Date: October 2025
  • Sales: 3.3 million copies by November
  • Controversial commentary surrounding its release, with protagonist’s voice actor nominated for ‘Best Voice Performance.’
• Blue Prince
  • Developer: Raw Fury
  • Release Date: April 2025
  • Recognized as a ‘sleeper hit’ despite not being nominated.
• Split Fiction
  • Developer: Hazelight Studios
  • Release Date: March 2025
  • Announced at the previous awards, it garnered attention throughout the year.

The Game Awards 2025 will stream live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on December 11, 2025. Fans can vote for their favorite games until the cutoff date shortly before the ceremony.