Key Highlights
- Leading the pack is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 â it earned a recordâbreaking 12 nominations, the most in the history of The Game Awards. Gematsu+1
- Other topânominated games include Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, all vying for big awards including Game of the Year. GameRant+2www.ndtv.com+2
đ Full List of Categories & Nominees (Selected â Key & Genre Awards)
Here are many of the major categories and their nominees this year. (Not all minor or technical categories are listed, but the big ones are covered.)
Game of the Year
- Clair Obscur: ExpeditionâŻ33 Gematsu+1
- Death StrandingâŻ2: On the Beach Gematsu
- Donkey Kong Bananza Gematsu+1
- Hades II Gematsu+1
- Hollow Knight: Silksong Gematsu+1
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Gematsu+1
Best Game Direction
- Clair Obscur: ExpeditionâŻ33 Gematsu+1
- Death StrandingâŻ2: On the Beach Gematsu
- Ghost of YĹtei GameRant+1
- Hades II GameRant+1
- Split Fiction Gematsu+1
Best Narrative
- Clair Obscur: ExpeditionâŻ33 GameRant+1
- Death StrandingâŻ2: On the Beach GameRant+1
- Ghost of YĹtei GameRant+1
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II GameRant+1
- Silent Hill f NME+1
Best Art Direction
- Clair Obscur: ExpeditionâŻ33 Gematsu+1
- Death StrandingâŻ2: On the Beach Gematsu+1
- Ghost of YĹtei GameRant+1
- Hades II Gematsu+1
- Hollow Knight: Silksong Gematsu+1
Best Score & Music
- Hollow Knight: Silksong GameRant+1
- Hades II GameRant+1
- Clair Obscur: ExpeditionâŻ33 Gematsu+1
- Ghost of YĹtei Gematsu+1
- Death StrandingâŻ2: On the Beach Gematsu+1
Best Audio Design
- BattlefieldâŻ6 NME+1
- Clair Obscur: ExpeditionâŻ33 NME+1
- Death StrandingâŻ2: On the Beach NME+1
- Ghost of YĹtei NME+1
- Silent Hill f NME+1
Best Action Game
- BattlefieldâŻ6 gamerurge.com+1
- DOOM: The Dark Ages gamerurge.com+1
- Hades II gamerurge.com+1
- Ninja GaidenâŻ4 gamerurge.com+1
- Shinobi: Art of Vengeance gamerurge.com+1
Best Action / Adventure
- Death StrandingâŻ2: On the Beach GameRant+1
- Ghost of YĹtei GameRant+1
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle GameRant+1
- Hollow Knight: Silksong Gematsu+1
- Split Fiction Gematsu+1
Best RoleâPlaying Game
- Avowed Gematsu+1
- Clair Obscur: ExpeditionâŻ33 Gematsu+1
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Gematsu+1
- Monster Hunter Wilds gamerurge.com+1
Best Independent Game
- Absolum Gematsu+1
- BALL x PIT Gematsu+1
- Clair Obscur: ExpeditionâŻ33 Gematsu+1
- Hades II Gematsu+1
- Hollow Knight: Silksong Gematsu+1
Best Debut Indie Game
- Blue Prince Gematsu+1
- Clair Obscur: ExpeditionâŻ33 Gematsu+1
- despelote Gematsu+1
- Dispatch Gematsu+1
- (Note: Some earlier mention included âMegabonkâ but that was removed per jury decision.) Variety+1
Best Mobile Game
- Destiny: Rising gamerurge.com+1
- Persona 5: The Phantom X Gematsu+1
- Sonic Rumble gamerurge.com+1
- Umamusume: Pretty Derby gamerurge.com+1
- Wuthering Waves Gematsu+1
Best VR / AR Game
- Alien: Rogue Incursion gamerurge.com+1
- Arken Age gamerurge.com+1
- Ghost Town gamerurge.com+1
- Marvelâs Deadpool VR gamerurge.com+1
- The Midnight Walk gamerurge.com+1
Best Multiplayer Game
- Arc Raiders Gematsu+1
- Battlefield 6 Gematsu+1
- Elden Ring: Nightreign Gematsu+1
- Peak Gematsu+1
- Split Fiction Gematsu+1
Best Ongoing Game
- Fortnite The Gamer+1
- Helldivers 2 The Gamer+1
- Final Fantasy XIV The Gamer+1
- No Manâs Sky The Gamer+1
- Marvel Rivals The Gamer+1
Best Community Support
- Baldurâs Gate III Insider Gaming
- Final Fantasy XIV The Gamer+1
- Fortnite The Gamer+1
- Helldivers 2 The Gamer+1
- No Manâs Sky The Gamer+1
Best Performance (Actors / Voice)
- Jennifer English â Clair Obscur: ExpeditionâŻ33 NME+1
- Ben Starr â Clair Obscur: ExpeditionâŻ33 Kotaku+1
- Charlie Cox â Clair Obscur: ExpeditionâŻ33 Gematsu+1
- Erika Ishii â Ghost of YĹtei NME+1
- Troy Baker â Indiana Jones and the Great Circle The Gamer+1
- Konatsu Kato â Silent Hill f NME+1
đ What This Means â Some Observations
- With 12 nominations, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the biggest frontrunner â a strong sign it might walk away with multiple awards. Gematsu+1
- The variety of categories â from indie games and mobile titles to VR, multiplayer, community support, and esports â shows a broad effort to cover all corners of the videoâgame ecosystem in 2025.
- Some categories (like Best VR/AR Game, Best Mobile Game, Best Multiplayer, Best Ongoing Game, etc.) highlight that games beyond âtraditional AAAâ are being recognised this year.