The Game Awards 2025: Who's Up for the Industry's Top Prize
The Ukrainian game "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2" wasn't nominated.
The Game Awards 2025 (TGA) producer and host Geoff Keighley live announced the nominees. At the same time, voting opened on the event's official website in the 'Game of the Year' category and others.
The Game Awards — is an annual award show that recognizes achievements across the video game industry: artistic, technical, narrative, audio, and other aspects.
The Main Contenders
- The list includes the most anticipated releases and industry hits already generating buzz. The nominees for 'Game of the Year' are Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.
- Competing for the title of best game direction are Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, Ghost of Yōtei, Hades II, Split Fiction.
- The 'Best Narrative' nominees include Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, Ghost of Yōtei, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and Silent Hill f.
- In the 'Best Art Direction' category, the nominees are Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, Ghost of Yōtei, Hades II, and Hollow Knight: Silksong.
- Among the 'Best Score and Music' nominees are Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades II, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Ghost of Yōtei, and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
As a result, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will compete for the largest number of TGA 2025 awards — the game earned nominations in 12 categories, a record for the show. Death Stranding 2 and Ghost of Yotei tied for second place in nomination count, with eight each. Hades II was nominated in six categories.
The nominees for 'Players' Voice' will be announced after voting closes. The nominee lists for other categories can be viewed on the awards' website.
The Game Awards 2025 Selection Process: The Role of the Jury and Advisory Committee
The Game Awards winners are determined through a mixed voting system. An international jury made up of gaming media representatives votes, with critics' opinions making up roughly 90% of the overall result, while fan votes from The Game Awards website contribute about 10%.
TGA has an advisory committee made up of representatives from major global tech companies and video game publishers. The committee selects roughly 30 gaming media outlets that can nominate and vote for selected games. The committee itself doesn't take part in the nomination or voting process.
This year, Apple joined the committee, becoming its 14th member alongside Activision, AMD, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Microsoft, Nintendo, Riot, Rockstar Games, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Tencent, Ubisoft, Valve, and Kojima Productions.
The awards ceremony itself will take place December 11 in Los Angeles.