Game of the Year Nominees 2025

The Game of the Year (GOTY) 2025 nominees lineup highlights just how strong this year has been for gaming.

With the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox’s expansion into handheld gaming, and a steady stream of major hits from both AAA studios and indie teams, 2025 has offered games that are bold, creative, and deeply memorable.

The six GOTY 2025 contenders reflect the variety and ambition of today’s industry. The official nominees are:

1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
2. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
3. Donkey Kong Bananza
4. Hades II
5. Hollow Knight: Silksong
6. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

I’ll take a closer look at why each game earned its place among the year’s best in a breakdown below.

Game of the Year: Which of the 2025 Game Awards Nominees Will Win?

The six Game Awards 2025 GOTY nominees each represent a different approach to modern game design. Here’s a brief look at what sets them apart:

1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 now holds the record for the most nominations in Game Awards history, a remarkable feat for a game developed outside the traditional AAA sphere. This Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 overview highlights how this turn-based RPG fuses dynamic real-time inputs with surreal combat encounters, creating a rhythm that feels both tactical and immediate.

The game takes place in a decaying fantasy world governed by the Paintress, a mysterious figure who erases an entire age group from existence every year. Players lead the final Expedition, a group of doomed individuals aged 33, in a desperate attempt to break the cycle.

What sets Clair Obscur apart is how confidently it balances art-house ambition with clear, accessible mechanics. Its painterly visuals and narrative risks earned critical acclaim, but it’s the hybrid combat and thematic weight that solidified its place as a top game of the year 2025 nominee.

For a mid-budget indie title, its GOTY presence signals a shift in how originality is rewarded.

2. Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach continues Hideo Kojima’s polarizing vision of a fractured world rebuilt through connection. This sequel expands on the foundations of the first game while introducing new characters, broader environments, and a more surreal tone.

Set years after the original, it deepens the mystery around extinction events and the strange mechanics of the beach.

The gameplay remains slow and deliberate, with traversal, weight management, and cinematic storytelling taking center stage. While some players find its pacing divisive, it’s hard to ignore the sheer ambition behind its direction.

Visually and narratively, On The Beach offers one of the most distinctive atmospheres. It’s less about moment-to-moment excitement and more about unsettling tension, philosophical weight, and long-form storytelling – elements that continue to push Kojima’s work into a space few other developers attempt to reach.

3. Donkey Kong Bananza

Nintendo’s return to 3D platforming with Donkey Kong Bananza brought a fresh wave of energy to the genre. The game blends nostalgic mechanics with explosive level design, letting DK smash through destructible environments to collect Banandium Gems and stop the corporate threat of VoidCo. 

Its colorful biomes, rhythmic platforming, and lovable cast made it a crowd favorite. The nomination proves that even in an era of expansive open worlds and live-service games, classic platformers still resonate with both players and juries.

4. Hades II

Supergiant Games returns with Hades II, a sequel that doesn’t just build on its predecessor – it evolves it. At the heart of the story is Melinoë, sister of Zagreus, who sets out to defeat Chronos and free her family from a frozen timeline. The roguelike structure remains intact, but the game adds new layers of complexity with deeper dialogue systems, expanded zones, and more fluid combat options.

What makes Hades II stand out among all Game Awards nominees is how it blends speed, skill, and storytelling without ever losing momentum. It’s also a testament to how well-supported indie franchises can grow into cultural staples without sacrificing their core identity. With its bold mythology and sharp visual direction, Hades II reinforces the idea that sequels can still surprise, delight, and innovate.

5. Hollow Knight: Silksong

After years of silence and speculation, Hollow Knight: Silksong finally launched in 2025 to overwhelming anticipation. If you want a deeper look at how its mechanics, worldbuilding, and design evolved, make sure to read our Hollow Knight: Silksong overview as the long-awaited follow-up to Team Cherry’s beloved metroidvania expands the formula with sharper movement, deeper enemy design, and a more agile combat style centered around Hornet – a captured warrior navigating the kingdom of Pharloom in search of answers and escape.

Silksong stays true to its roots while refining every layer: exploration feels more fluid, the soundtrack elevates every moment, and the hand-drawn visuals remain hauntingly beautiful. Underneath its difficulty lies a deep emotional core and careful storytelling that rewards patience.

Among the Game of the Year 2025 nominees, Silksong stands out as a celebration of artistry, perseverance, and the craftsmanship of small teams. Its nomination is not only recognition of a great game, but also a testament to what long-term dedication can produce in an increasingly fast-moving industry.

6. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

Unlike most fantasy-heavy RPGs, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II grounds itself in historical realism – and that’s exactly what makes it unique in this year’s lineup. Set in 15th-century Bohemia, the sequel continues the story of Henry of Skalitz, a blacksmith’s son turned knight-in-training, now navigating a world torn by war, grief, and questions of justice.

Henry’s path is shaped by deeply personal losses and the political upheaval around him. Dialogue choices carry real weight, and the game’s world doesn’t rely on magic or prophecy, but on faith, fear, and flawed institutions. Every choice feels human and historically informed.

Its GOTY 2025 nomination reflects more than production quality – it’s a nod to moral complexity, immersive storytelling, and the value of grounded sequels. In a field filled with spectacle, Deliverance II shows there’s still a place for slow-burn narratives built on authenticity, research, and emotional depth.

Why Is Clair Obscur The Big Favorite This Year?

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has quickly become the defining title of the 2025 awards season. With 12 nominations, more than any other game, it leads both in jury recognition and community buzz.

Critics have praised its emotional storytelling, innovative blend of turn-based and real-time combat, and its surreal yet grounded world-building.

As an original IP from a mid-sized team, it stands shoulder to shoulder with major AAA projects, defying expectations at every turn. Its success highlights a shift in the industry: bold, heartfelt ideas can now compete at the very top, regardless of budget. You can see how this standout title performed in the final tally by consulting The Game Awards 2025 complete winners list.

My Verdict on the Game of the Year Nominees

While each of the GOTY 2025 nominees brings something unique, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands out as the most complete and daring of the group. Its critical momentum, genre-blending combat, and emotional storytelling give it an edge heading into the final vote.

That said, nothing is guaranteed. With high-profile sequels like Hades II and Death Stranding 2 in the mix, and surprises like Silksong finally launching, the jury could lean in multiple directions. But if early reception and overall impact are any indication, Clair Obscur remains the frontrunner for Game of the Year.

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