Geoff Keighley unveiled the official Game of the Year 2025 nominees on November 19, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leading nominations with a record-breaking 12 nods—the most in Game Awards history—while indie titles dominate the prestigious GOTY category.
The six GOTY nominees are: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hades 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Notably, only two are traditional AAA titles, three are indie productions, and one is a Nintendo Switch exclusive.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s record 12 nominations surpass any previous Game Awards nominee, positioning it as the frontrunner heading into the December 11 ceremony at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater. Death Stranding 2, Hideo Kojima’s highly anticipated sequel, follows with seven nominations across direction, narrative, and technical categories.
The 2025 lineup reflects gaming’s ongoing shift toward indie and mid-budget excellence, with Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry’s long-awaited sequel) and Hades 2 (Supergiant Games’ roguelike follow-up) earning recognition alongside blockbuster franchises. The list also includes notable snubs, with Ghost of Yōtei absent despite strong critical reception.
Industry observers note 2025 delivered one of the strongest years for indie gaming in recent memory, with lower-budget titles increasingly competing on equal footing with AAA productions in critical acclaim and commercial success.
Source: Shane the Gamer