The Game Awards 2025 are set for December 11 in Los Angeles, and this year’s nominee list reflects one of the strongest and most unpredictable gaming years in recent memory. Leading the entire field is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 with 12 nominations, the highest total ever recorded at the show. It outpaces major releases like Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Ghost of Yōtei, both of which earned seven nominations and represent the closest competition.

The nomination slate highlights a clear trend. Smaller studios continue to break into major categories, standing shoulder to shoulder with blockbuster franchises. Strong narratives, unique art direction, and inventive systems shaped the year, and the nominees show that players embraced a wide range of experiences across genres and platforms.

Below is the complete list of categories and nominees for The Game Awards 2025.

Game of the Year
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Donkey Kong Bananza
Hades II
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Best Game Direction
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Ghost of Yōtei
Hades II
Split Fiction

Best Narrative
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Jurassic World Evolution 3
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII
Tempest Rising
Two Point Museum

Best Art Direction
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Donkey Kong Bananza
Hades II
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Best Score and Music
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Ghost of Yōtei
Hades II
Hollow Knight: Silksong

Best Audio Design
Battlefield 6
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Ghost of Yōtei
Silent Hill f

Best Performance
Ben Starr as Verso (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Charlie Cox as Gustave (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Erika Ishii as Atsu (Ghost of Yōtei)
Jennifer English as Maelle (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Konatsu Kato as Hinako Shimizu (Silent Hill f)
Troy Baker as Indiana Jones (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle)

Best Mobile Game
Alien: Rogue Incursion
Arken Age
Ghost Town
Marvel’s Deadpool VR
The Midnight Walk

Best Community Support
Baldur’s Gate 3
Final Fantasy XVI
Fortnite
Helldivers 2
No Man’s Sky

Best Ongoing Game
Final Fantasy XIV
Fortnite
Helldivers 2
Marvel Rivals
No Man’s Sky

Best Adaptation
A Minecraft Movie
Devil May Cry
Splinter Cell: Deathwatch
The Last of Us Season 2
Until Dawn

Best Multiplayer Game
ARC Raiders
Battlefield 6
Elden Ring Nightreign
Peak
Split Fiction

Best Sports/Racing Game
EA Sports FC 26
F1 25
Mario Kart World
Rematch
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds

Games for Impact
Consume Me
Despelote
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage
South of Midnight
Wanderstop

Innovation in Accessibility
(Nominees not provided)

Most Anticipated Game
007 First Light
GTA 6
Marvel’s Wolverine
Resident Evil Requiem
The Witcher 4

Clair Obscur may be the frontrunner based on nomination count, but with a lineup this varied, the final results are far from certain. The Game Awards 2025 highlight a year where sequels, indie breakthroughs, and long awaited returns all made their mark. Whether fans are rooting for emotional storytelling, clever design, or pure creativity, the show is shaping up to be one of the most talked about events in years.