Game Awards 2025 drops nominations featuring Death Stranding 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, and more: Complete list of nominees explored

The Game Awards has officially announced the 2025 nominations during a livestream. Thousands of viewers watched the livestream across YouTube and other platforms. The list of nominees for the 2025 Game Awards has generated notable conversation and predictions among fans and gaming enthusiasts.

This year's nominees are notably diverse as they bring independent projects and significant studio releases together. The Game Awards is often compared to the "Oscars of gaming" within the industry. It was created by journalist and producer Geoff Keighley.

The event is also known for new trailer reveals, celebrity appearances, musical performances, and more. Last year, the show reportedly drew more than 150 million livestreams across platforms. The 2025 Game Awards will stream live on December 11, 2025, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

Notably, this year will be the first time The Game Awards will air on Prime Video in addition to other outlets, including YouTube, Twitch, Steam, TikTok Live, X, Facebook, and more.

Through a few official Instagram posts from The Game Awards' official page, the organisers stated:

"Who’s up for Game of the Year? Tune in Monday to find out! Nominees at Noon ET / 9a PT / 5p GMT."

They added:

"🚨 In 24 Hours: The #TheGameAwards nominees drop! Who made the list? 👀 Tune in live — Noon ET / 9a PT / 5p GMT."

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Death Stranding 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hades II, and Silksong headline the GOTY lineup for the 2025 Game Awards

The Game of the Year category is arguably the most anticipated announcement each year. For 2025, the nominees include multiple studio releases and indie projects:

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Hades II
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

It is worth noting that Nintendo's Donkey Kong Bananza is a key Switch 2 release. On the other hand, Kojima Productions' Death Stranding 2 follows the first Death Stranding, which also received multiple nominations in previous years.

Sony leads all publishers with 19 nominations this year. A complete list of all the nominees for the 2025 Game Awards is explored below.

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Complete list of nominees for The Game Awards 2025

Game of the Year

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
• Hades II (Supergiant Games)
• Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry)
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (Warhorse Studios/Deep Silver)

Best Art Direction

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Hades II (Supergiant Games)
• Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry)

Best Audio Design

• Battlefield 6 (Battlefield Studios/EA)
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Silent Hill f (NeoBards Entertainment/KONAMI)

Best Game Direction

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Hades II (Supergiant Games)
• Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios/EA)

Best Multiplayer

• Arc Raiders
• Battlefield 6
• Elden Ring: Nightreign
• Peak
• Split Fiction

Best Narrative

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (Warhorse Studios/Deep Silver)
• Silent Hill f (NeoBards Entertainment/KONAMI)

Best Performance

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

Best Score & Music

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

Best Action

• Battlefield 6
• Doom: The Dark Ages
• Hades 2
• Ninja Gaiden 4
• Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

Best Action/ Adventure Game

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

Best Family Game

• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Lego Party
• Lego Voyagers
• Mario Kart World
• Sonic Racing Crossworlds
• Split Fiction

Best Fighting Game

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

Best Independent Game

• Absolum
• Ball X Pit
• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Hades 2
• Hollow Knight: Silksong

Best Mobile Game

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

Best Ongoing Game

• Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail
• Fortnite
• Helldivers 2
• Marvel Rivals
• No Man's Sky

Best RPG

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

Best Sports/Racing Game

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

Best Strategy/Sim Game

• Civilization 7
• Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
• Jurassic World Evolution 3
• The Alters
• Tempest Rising
• Two Point Museum

Best VR/AR Game

• Alien: Rogue Incursion
• Arken Age
• Deadpool VR
• Ghost Town
• The Midnight Walk

Innovation in Accessibility

• Assassin’s Creed Shadows (Ubisoft)
• Atomfall (Rebellion)
• Doom: The Dark Ages (id Software/Bethesda Softworks)
• EA Sports FC 26 (EA Canada/EA Romania/EA)
• South of Midnight (Compulsion Games/Xbox Game Studios)

Best Adaptation

• A Minecraft Movie
• Devil May Cry
• Splinter Cell Deathwatch
• The Last of Us season 2
• Until Dawn

Community Support

• Baldur's Gate 3
• Final Fantasy 14
• Fortnite
• Helldivers 2
• No Man's Sky

Debut Indie Game

• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Despelote
• Dispatch
• Megabonk

Games for Impact

• Consume Me
• Despelote
• Lost Records: Bloom and Rage
• South of Midnight
• Wanderstop

Best Esports Game

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

Best Esports Athlete

• Brawk
• Chovy
• Forsaken
• Kakeru
• Menard
• Zywoo

Best Esports Team

• Gen.G (League of Legends)
• NRG (Valorant)
• Team Falcons (Dota 2)
• Team Liquid PH (Mobile Legends Bang Bang)
• Team Vitality (Counter-Strike 2)

Content Creator of the Year

• Caedrel
• Kai Cenat
• MoistCr1tikal
• Sakura Miko
• The Burnt Peanut

Most Anticipated Game

• 007 First Light
• Grand Theft Auto 6
• Marvel's Wolverine
• Resident Evil Requiem
• The Witcher 4

Voting will be open until December 10, 2025. Fans have a window to support their picks before the winners of The Game Awards 2025 are officially revealed live on December 11, 2025. Fans can keep an eye on the official Game Awards pages for further updates.

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