Game of the Year 2025

With 2025 coming to a close, I wanted to look at the results for Game of the Year, specifically from Golden Joystick and The Game Awards. I watched both events, but I've included the lists of nominees and winners at the end for posterity. 

In short, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 positively SWEPT the competition. It is the broke the record for the most wins at The Game Awards, a monumental achievement on its own. The team at Sandfall Interactive had to get their steps in, coming up on stage so frequently at both award shows. It was fairly accepted that Expedition 33 would win at least a few awards, including overall Game of the Year, but that level of success and accolades was frankly ridiculous.

One of the more controversial awards that they received was Best Independent Game specifically from The Game Awards. Indie games have grown increasingly popular in recent years, and anyone with a good idea can build a successful game if they put in the effort and catch at least some amount of lightning in a bottle. Usually, these are small teams or individuals on basically a shoestring budget. Although the budget for Clair Obscur was "less than 10 million," a far cry from the hundreds of millions that modern AAA titles might spend, it seems disingenuous to call it "indie" and put it in league with organizations like Team Cherry who won the Golden Joystick award for Best Indie Game - Self Published with Hollow Knight: Silksong.

What, then, defines an "indie" game? Is it exclusively being independently published? That doesn't seem adequate when a new category of AA game might fit that definition. I think that in the next few years, we'll see some discourse there and hopefully arrive at a conclusion that everyone finds acceptable. I do think that smaller indie teams should get the recognition they deserve without getting railroaded by relative giants like Sandfall Interactive, but I also feel like it should be recognized when Clair Obscur annihilated games from larger studios for most of the awards at a fraction of the budget and team size.

Besides Expedition 33 just making a mockery of every other game that came out this year, I thought they were solid shows. Maggie Robertson was completely insufferable in my opinion, but there were a lot of cool announcements and the Evanescence performance was stellar.

I wish that Split Fiction had won at least some award, but it's still awesome that it got nominated for several. I haven't yet played it, but I'm excited to pick it up and play with either my wife or kids. Local multiplayer (like turn-based combat) is still super important to me, and I think it should be recognized when games do it well.

Grand Theft Auto 6 winning awards for Most Wanted and Best Trailer feels like a joke to me, since that game has been in development for so long. Especially after my disappointment with GTA 5, I can't say I care about GTA 6 at all. Maybe it will be amazing once it comes out in 2030 or so, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Best Hardware going to a CPU when the Nintendo Switch 2 was also nominated seems like an insult. I rag on Nintendo frequently about the pricing of their consoles and games with the lack of performance that they have for third party games, but it's a solid console and felt like an easy win for that category. Most game award organizations do seem to skew more heavily towards PC, and I understand why, but Nintendo deserves recognition for the Switch 2 in that space.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is most definitely on my Steam wishlist now, but I feel obligated to play through previous winners like Baldur's Gate 3 first. Maybe I'll get around to it before next year's video game award shows.

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The Game Awards 2025

Source

Game of the Year

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – WINNER
• 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 – WINNER
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Hades II
• Split Fiction

Best Narrative

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – WINNER
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Silent Hill f

Best Art Direction

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – WINNER
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Hades II
• Hollow Knight: Silksong

Best Score and Music

• Christopher Larkin, Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Darren Korb, Hades II
• Lorien Testard, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – WINNER
• Toma Otowa, Ghost of Yōtei
• Woodkid and Ludvig Forssell, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Best Audio Design

• Battlefield 6 – WINNER
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Silent Hill f

Best Performance

• Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Charlie Cox, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Erika Ishii, Ghost of Yōtei
• Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – WINNER
• Konatsu Kato, Silent Hill f
• Troy Baker, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Innovation in Accessibility

• Assassin’s Creed Shadows
• Atomfall
• Doom: The Dark Ages – WINNER
• EA Sports FC 26
• South of Midnight

Games for Impact

• Consume Me
• Despelote
• Lost Records: Bloom & Rage
• South of Midnight – WINNER
• Wanderstop

Best Ongoing

• Final Fantasy XIV
• Fortnite
• Helldivers 2
• Marvel Rivals
• No Man’s Sky – WINNER

Best Community Support

• Baldur’s Gate 3 – WINNER
• Final Fantasy XIV
• Fortnite
• Helldivers 2
• No Man’s Sky

Best Independent Game

• Absolum
• Ball x Pit
• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – WINNER
• Hades II
• Hollow Knight: Silksong

Best Debut Indie Game

• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – WINNER
• Despelote
• Dispatch

Best Mobile Game

• Destiny: Rising
• Persona 5: The Phantom X
• Sonic Rumble
• Umamusume: Pretty Derby – WINNER
• Wuthering Waves

Best VR/AR

• Alien: Rogue Incursion
• Arken Age
• Ghost Town
• Marvel’s Deadpool VR
• The Midnight Walk – WINNER

Best Action Game

• Battlefield 6
• Doom: The Dark Ages
• Hades II – WINNER
• Ninja Gaiden 4
• Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

Best Action/Adventure

• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Hollow Knight: Silksong – WINNER
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Split Fiction

Best RPG

• Avowed
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – WINNER
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• The Outer Worlds 2

Best Fighting

• 2XKO
• Capcom Fighting Collection 2
• Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
• Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection
• Virtua Fighter 5 REVO World Stage

Best Family

• Donkey Kong Bananza – WINNER
• Lego Party!
• Lego Voyagers
• Mario Kart World
• Sonic Racing: Crossworlds
• Split Fiction

Best Sim/Strategy

• Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles – WINNER
• Jurassic World Evolution 3
• Sid Meier’s Civilization VII
• Tempest Rising
• The Alters
• Two Point Museum

Best Sports/Racing

• EA Sports FC 26
• F1 25
• Mario Kart World – WINNER
• Rematch
• Sonic Racing: Crossworlds

Best Multiplayer

• Arc Raiders – WINNER
• Battlefield 6
• Elden Ring Nightreign
• Peak
• Split Fiction

Best Adaptation

• A Minecraft Movie
• Devil May Cry
• Splinter Cell: Deathwatch
• The Last of Us: Season 2 – WINNER
• Until Dawn

Most Anticipated Game

• 007 First Light
• Grand Theft Auto VI – WINNER
• Marvel’s Wolverine
• Resident Evil Requiem
• The Witcher IV

Content Creator of the Year

• Caedrel
• Kai Cenat
• MoistCr1TiKaL – WINNER
• Sakura Miko
• The Burnt Peanut

Best Esports Game

• Counter-Strike 2 – WINNER
• Dota 2
• League of Legends
• Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
• Valorant

Best Esports Athlete

• Brawk (Brock Somerhalder)
• Chovy (Jeong Ji-Hoon) – WINNER
• f0rsakeN (Jason Susanto)
• Kakeru (Kakeru Watanabe)
• MenaRD (Saul Leonardo)
• ZywOo (Mathieu Herbaut)

Best Esports Team

• Gen.G
• NRG
• Team Falcons
• Team Liquid PH
• Team Vitality – WINNER

Players’ Voice

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Dispatch
• Genshin Impact
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Wuthering Waves – WINNER

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Golden Joystick Awards 2025

Source

Best Storytelling

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (WINNER)
• Silent Hill f
• Blue Prince
• Mafia: The Old Country
• Lost Records: Bloom & Rage
• The Hundred Line - Last Defense Academy

Best Multiplayer Game

• Battlefield 6
• Peak (WINNER)
• Elden Ring Nightreign
• Split Fiction
• Mario Kart World
• Rematch

Best Visual Design

• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (WINNER)
• The Midnight Walk
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Sword of the Sea
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Best Indie Game

• Blue Prince (WINNER)
• Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
• Wanderstop
• Skin Deep
• despelote
• Herdling
• Abiotic Factor
• Baby Steps
• Caves of Qud
• Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor

Best Indie Game - Self Published

• Hollow Knight: Silksong (WINNER)
• Hades 2
• Sword of the Sea
• Peak
• Keep Driving
• Spilled!
• Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders
• Deltarune
• Promise Mascot Agency
• Consume Me

Still Playing Award - PC and Console

• Minecraft (WINNER)
• Dead by Daylight
• Helldivers 2
• Naraka: Bladepoint
• Satisfactory
• Call of Duty: Warzone
• Marvel Rivals
• Fortnite
• Apex Legends
• Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege X
• GTA Online
• Warframe

Still Playing Award - Mobile

• Call of Duty: Mobile
• Pokemon Go (WINNER)
• Subway Surfers
• Clash Royale
• Honkai: Star Rail
• Genshin Impact
• Zenless Zone Zero
• Roblox
• Free Fire
• PUBG Mobile

Best Remake / Remaster

• Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater
• The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered (WINNER)
• Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter
• The Talos Principle: Reawakened
• Gears of War: Reloaded
• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4

Studio of the Year

• Team Cherry
• Sandfall Interactive (WINNER)
• Aggro Crab and Landfall
• Bloober Team
• Sloclap
• Rebellion

Best Game Expansion

• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants
• Lies of P: Overture (WINNER)
• No Man's Sky: Voyagers
• Atomfall Story Expansion Pack: The Red Strain
• Assassin's Creed Shadows - Claws of Awaji
• Still Wakes the Deep: Siren's Rest

Best Audio Design

• Ghost of Yōtei (WINNER)
• Battlefield 6
• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Two Point Museum
• Cronos: The New Dawn

Best Soundtrack

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (WINNER)
• South of Midnight
• Silent Hill f
• Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream
• DELTARUNE
• Sword of the Sea

Best Lead Performer

• Jennifer English – Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (WINNER)
• Troy Baker – Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Tom McKay – Henry in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Alex Jordan – Jan Dolski in The Alters
• Erika Ishii – Atsu in Ghost of Yōtei
• Adriyan Rae – Hazel in South of Midnight

Best Supporting Performer

• Troy Baker – Higgs Monaghan in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Jim High – Erik in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Ben Starr – Verso in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (WINNER)
• Lucy Griffiths – Alva in Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream
• Logan Cunningham – Hades 2
• Marios Gavrilis – Emmerich Voss in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

PC Game of the Year

• Hollow Knight: Silksong (WINNER)
• The Alters
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• PEAK
• Abiotic Factor
• Dune: Awakening

Console Game of the Year

• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• Ghost of Yōtei (WINNER)
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
• Mario Kart World

Best Early Access Game

• Grounded 2
• Schedule I
• 9 Kings
• R.E.P.O. (WINNER)
• skate.
• White Knuckle

Best Gaming Hardware

• Nintendo Switch 2
• Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller
• WD_BLACK SN8100 NVMe SSD
• Elgato Facecam 4K
• Razer Blade 16
• AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (WINNER)

Best Game Adaptation

• Devil May Cry (Netflix)
• Arcane Season 2 (Netflix) (WINNER)
• The Last of Us Season 2 (HBO)
• A Minecraft Movie (Warner Bros. Pictures)
• Secret Level (Prime Video)
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Paramount Pictures)

Best Game Trailer

• Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2 (WINNER)
• Battlefield 6: Official Launch Live Action Trailer
• Rhythm Doctor – Official Release Date Trailer
• The Expanse: Osiris Reborn – Announcement Trailer
• Romeo is a Dead Man – Announcement Trailer
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Official CGI Trailer – Live a Life Medieval

Most Wanted Game

• GTA 6 (WINNER)
• Resident Evil Requiem
• The Witcher 4
• Black Myth: Zhong Kui
• LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
• 007 First Light
• Exodus
• Subnautica 2
• Light No Fire
• The Expanse: Osiris Reborn
• Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
• Saros
• The Blood of Dawnwalker
• Crimson Desert
• Kingdom Hearts 4
• Marvel's Wolverine
• Hell Let Loose: Vietnam
• OD – Knock
• Onimusha: Way of the Sword
• Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy

Ultimate Game of the Year

• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (WINNER)
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Hades 2
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Peak
• Silent Hill f
• Split Fiction