So the Game Awards 2025 nominations are officially out, and honestly? The indie darlings are eating this year. Not in a “oh how nice they got a token nod” way—I mean genuinely dominating categories that used to be AAA-only territory.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 walked away with 12 nominations. Twelve. That’s the most any game has ever gotten in the history of The Game Awards. It’s wild. The French RPG from Sandfall Interactive came out of nowhere and is basically the story of 2025 in gaming right now.
The Game Awards 2025 Nominations: What Actually Changed This Year
Look, I’ve been following Game Awards nominations coverage closely, and what strikes me most isn’t just the record numbers—it’s where those records are happening.
You’ve got Death Stranding 2 with 8 noms, Ghost of Yotei matching that, and then… Hades II and Hollow Knight: Silksong both in major categories. These aren’t charity slots. They’re legitimately competitive picks that critics and voters actually believe in.
The Game Awards nominations feel less like “best AAA games this year” and more like “best gaming experiences, period.” That’s a meaningful shift.
Game of the Year Nominees: Game Awards 2025 Nominations GOTY Race
Here’s the six-way race for Game of the Year in the Game Awards nominations:
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — Okay, so everyone’s talking about this one. Stunning visuals, surprisingly emotional story, combat that actually clicks after you learn the systems. The game basically came out and people couldn’t shut up about it. 12 nods across Game Awards nominations categories.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach — Kojima’s back with more weirdness and internet connectivity themes. It’s gotten huge critical love, and rightfully so—it’s ambitious in ways most games aren’t. 8 nominations here.
Hades II — Supergiant continues doing what they do best: making you die 100 times and somehow enjoy the process. The indie community rallied hard for this one to be recognized properly.
Hollow Knight: Silksong — Finally. Finally. The metroidvania that everyone’s been waiting for since forever actually got here, and the Game Awards nominations reflect that we’re treating it seriously.
Donkey Kong Bananza — Nintendo’s doing their thing with platformer innovation. It’s in the conversation, though real talk: it feels a bit like the safe, colorful pick in this lineup.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II — Historical RPG depth that goes hard on immersion. Not flashy, but serious gamers respect what Warhorse Studios is building.
Breaking Down Game Awards 2025 : Other Categories That Matter
Best Action Game (Game Awards 2025 Nominations)
- Hades II
- Ninja Gaiden 4
- Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
- Battlefield 6
- Doom: The Dark Ages
Real talk: Hades II and Ninja Gaiden 4 are seen as the biggest contenders in this category.
Best Narrative (Game Awards 2025 Nominations)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- Silent Hill f
Clair Obscur dominates here, widely considered the strongest entry in narrative this year; Death Stranding 2 is the primary rival.
Best Art Direction (Game Awards 2025 Nominations)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Hades II
This mix celebrates both photorealism and stylized visuals, with Clair Obscur and Ghost of Yōtei leading the artistic conversation.
Best Independent Game (Game Awards 2025 Nominations)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hades II
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Blue Prince
- Absolum
The indie slate is stacked—Clair Obscur, Hades II, and Silksong headline a very competitive year for indie releases
Most Anticipated Game (Game Awards 2025 Nominations)
- Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI)
- 007: First Light
- Marvel’s Wolverine
- Resident Evil: Requiem
- The Witcher IV
GTA VI is the overwhelming favorite—Rockstar’s next move has the industry buzzing.
The Game Awards 2025 Nominations: Why This Year Feels Different
Okay so here’s the thing about Game Awards 2025 nominations—and this might sound like I’m reading too much into it, but bear with me.
Five years ago, indie games in major categories felt like outliers. This year? They feel like the norm. Clair Obscur crushing records with 12 nominations, Hollow Knight: Silksong finally getting recognition after literally everyone waited for it… that signals something real about how the industry values games now.
The Game Awards 2025 nominations aren’t just “best games”—they’re reflecting that AAA budget ≠ automatically better game anymore. Narrative matters more. Art direction matters more. Taking creative risks matters.
How to Actually Vote: Game Awards 2025 Nominations & Viewer Participation
Voting for the Game Awards 2025 nominations winners opens now through December 11. Head to thegameawards.com if you want your voice heard.
Fair warning though: fan votes only count as 10% of the final result. The rest is industry professionals and critics. So your vote matters, but it’s not everything.
Where to Watch: Game Awards 2025 Nominations Ceremony Details
When: December 11, 2025 | 4:30 PM PT (that’s 7:30 PM Eastern if you’re on the coast)
Where to stream: This is actually interesting. For the first time, Game Awards 2025 nominations coverage is hitting Amazon Prime Video as the exclusive premiere partner. So if you’ve got Prime, you’re good. They’re also streaming on Twitch, YouTube, Steam, X, Facebook, and TikTok because apparently we needed options.
Twitch thing: Watch for 30+ minutes on Twitch during the Game Awards 2025 nominations ceremony and you get exclusive in-game drops. Not life-changing, but nice if you’re already watching.
Prime Video is also doing limited-time deals on nominated games and hardware during the show, which… sure, why not.
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Real Talk: What We’re Actually Expecting
Honestly, if Clair Obscur doesn’t sweep a ton of categories in Game Awards nominations, it’ll be a genuine upset. 12 nods, record-breaking recognition, critical consensus… that usually translates.
But Death Stranding 2 is strong enough to take GOTY if voters want something more “gamey” versus narrative-focused. And Hades II has that indie credibility thing working for it.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and Hollow Knight: Silksong feel like they’ll win their specific categories (Best RPG and Best Adventure, probably) but won’t take the big prize. Donkey Kong Bananza is… fine, but it doesn’t feel like a GOTY contender in this company.
FAQs
A: Mid-November, around the 16th-17th. So very recent, which is why everyone’s still arguing about it.
A: Yeah, 12 is the most any single game has ever gotten. Previous record was around 8-9. It’s legitimately historic.
A: Your vote counts for 10% if you cast it at thegameawards.com. So… kind of? But not really, if we’re being honest.
A: No. It’s free on Prime Video (if you have Prime), Twitch, YouTube, Steam, and other platforms. Amazon’s basically covering it.
A: Clair Obscur is the consensus frontrunner, though Death Stranding 2 isn’t far behind. Hades II is the spoiler nobody’s fully discounting.
A: Best Narrative is worth watching (Clair Obscur vs Death Stranding 2), and Best Independent Game is basically indie excellence on display.
The Game Awards nominations are shaping up to be the most interesting ceremony in years. Clair Obscur’s record-breaking 12 nods, indie games competing seriously for GOTY, Death Stranding 2 being weird and excellent… it’s a good moment to be paying attention to gaming.
December 11 on Prime Video. Bring snacks. The Game Awards nominations reveal are happening, and honestly, you’ll want to see which way this actually goes.
For hot takes, detailed analysis, and coverage as the Game Awards 2025 nominations results roll in, stick with TechTunesTales.com.
