The anticipation is over! The Game Awards officially revealed its list of nominees for Game of the Year (GOTY) 2025 during a special livestream on Monday, and the selection reflects an exceptional year for video game releases. While the usual blockbuster franchises feature, the list is heavily populated by critically acclaimed independent studios, highlighting the impressive creative depth within the industry.
The six prestigious nominees for the top honour are:
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hades II
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Kingdom Come Deliverance II
The Contenders for Game of the Year
This year’s line-up is particularly impressive, with many titles showcasing innovation and compelling narrative.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
This French-developed, turn-based RPG has emerged as the clear frontrunner in terms of recognition, netting an astounding 12 nominations across 10 categories. The game is praised for its painterly, unique aesthetic and its blending of traditional turn-based mechanics with active, real-time input, creating an engaging and stylish combat system. Its sweeping narrative and memorable characters have clearly resonated deeply with critics.
Hades II & Hollow Knight: Silksong
The independent sector is powerfully represented by these two sequels. Hades II maintains the signature rogue-lite excellence of its predecessor while introducing a rich new cast and setting, ensuring its place as one of the most mechanically polished action games of the year. Meanwhile, Hollow Knight: Silksong, after years of heightened anticipation, delivered a sprawling and acrobatic Metroidvania adventure that expanded on the celebrated foundations of the original, proving itself a masterpiece of world-building and challenging gameplay.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Hideo Kojima’s sequel to the genre-defining “strand game” has been nominated for seven awards, including GOTY. The game continues the singular vision of connecting a fractured world, evolving its complex delivery and navigation systems while diving deeper into its cryptic, cinematic narrative structure.
Donkey Kong Bananza & Kingdom Come Deliverance II
Rounding out the list are two games that deliver on the promise of their predecessors. Donkey Kong Bananza has been lauded for its revolutionary destructible environment mechanics, injecting fresh life not just into the Donkey Kong franchise but into the 3D platformer genre. Kingdom Come Deliverance II is recognised for its expansive, historically authentic world and uncompromising approach to the medieval RPG experience, offering a dense and reactive role-playing challenge.
Voting and The Awards Ceremony
With the official nominees now public, the next phase of voting by the international jury begins. These expert panellists will determine the winners across various categories, including Best RPG, Best Narrative, Best Audio Design, and many more.
Fans also have the opportunity to make their voices heard, with public voting for the ultimate Game of the Year winner open until December 10th.
The Game Awards 2025 will be streamed live on Thursday, December 11th, commencing at 7:30 p.m. EST (which translates to Friday, December 12th at 11:30 a.m. AEDT for our Australian audience).
