Anticipation is high as the gaming world counts down towards The Game Awards 2025. With the show slated for December 11, 2025, in Los Angeles at the Peacock Theater and hosted by Geoff Keighley, speculation is rife over which titles will take home the biggest awards of the night, as well as what this year’s nominations signal in terms of deeper shifts within the industry. Here’s a breakdown of the biggest surprises, standout nominees, and what this all means for the future of gaming.

Historic Nominations & Big Contenders

The biggest news of the season: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is out in front with a record 12 nominations, the largest number ever given to a single game in one Game Awards cycle. Its nods span major categories, including Game of the Year, Best Game Direction, Best Score & Music, Best Performance, among others.

Other key contenders to the Game of the Year crown include:

• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
• Donkey Kong Bonanza
• Hades 2
• Hollow Knight: Silksong

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

These nominations for Game Awards suggest a strong balance between indie innovation like Expedition 33 and Hollow Knight, and blockbuster ambition like Death Stranding 2 and Kingdom Come II.

Surprising Snubs & Underestimates

Arc Raiders Misses Out

One of the biggest shocks: Arc Raiders, despite being a late breakout multiplayer hit, received only a single nomination – for Best Multiplayer. With the chart performance this game had, it was widely expected to be a major contender for Game of the Year, but the jury clearly went in a very different direction.

Underdog Indies Shine

Indie titles like Blue Prince, Despelote, Dispatch, and Megabonk received nominations-especially in Best Debut Indie Game, showing that smaller teams are still making major waves.This continues the growing recognition of indie creators on the big stage.

Adaptation Spotlight

Surprisingly, Best Adaptation has five nominees, including A Minecraft Movie, Devil May Cry, The Last of Us Season 2, Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, and Until Dawn. It reflects how gaming culture is deeply entwined with film and TV right now — and how these crossovers are being celebrated.

Platform Power Plays & Industry Shifts

Microsoft / Xbox Game Pass Rising

A major story line this year is Xbox Game Pass: two of the Game of the Year nominees —Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Hollow Knight: Silksong — are on Game Pass.

This underlines Microsoft’s continued push to position Game Pass not just as a subscription service, but as a platform for top-tier and award-worthy experiences. This is no longer just about the value proposition; it’s now becoming a creative hub.

Accessibility & Impact Spotlight

• The Game Awards are increasingly highlighting innovation in both accessibility and games for impact. For 2025, nominated games in Innovation in Accessibility include Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Atomfall, Doom: The Dark Ages, EA Sports FC 26, and South of Midnight.
• Meanwhile, the Games for Impact category features emotionally resonant titles such as Consume Me and Lost Records: Bloom & Rage.

This shows a clear trend: gaming isn’t just entertainment; it’s a space for social commentary, inclusive design.

Ongoing Games & Community Engagement

Nominations in Best Ongoing Game and Best Community Support are dominated by Helldivers 2, Fortnite, Final Fantasy XIV, No Man’s Sky, and Marvel Rivals. These picks signal that the industry still values games that evolve over time, support communities, and offer long-term engagement.

Stars of Performance & Narrative

In Best Performance, the nominations include Jennifer English, Ben Starr, and Charlie Cox for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Other notable performers: Erika Ishii (Ghost of Yōtei), Troy Baker (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle), Konatsu Kato (Silent Hill f)

The Best Narrative category has some strong storytelling contenders, including Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2, Ghost of Yōtei, Kingdom Come Deliverance II, and Silent Hill f.

These nominations reveal that 2025 is not all about flashy gameplay; it is also a time for deeply immersive stories and standout character work.

What the Industry Might Be Signaling

Subscription Services are Mature

In having multiple GOTY contenders, Game Pass suggests subscription services are no longer about discoverability alone, but rather a place where top-tier, award-quality games launch or land.

Indies aren’t just niche

With major recognition for Expedition 33 and numerous indie nominees, the awards are reaffirming that indies can indeed be competitive on the biggest stages.

Accessibility & Impact Matter

Such recognition of accessibility innovations and games with social impact means that the industry pays more attention to how games can be inclusive and meaningful, not just profitable. Cross-media storytelling is on the increase. The strong presence of adaptations speaks to how games, films, and TV are feeding into one another in creative ways. Also, many of these adaptations suggest a future where characters and stories flow more freely between mediums.

Long-Term Engagement Is King

Ongoing games – live services like Final Fantasy XIV and Helldivers 2 – are validated, but more importantly, these ongoing games remain popular for years with active, involved communities.

Predictions & Wildcards

While the winners haven’t been announced yet, here are a few predictions and wildcards worth considering: Front-runner: With 12 nominations, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the favorite to take home the Game of the Year. Dark horse: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach might sweep the narrative or direction categories if it strikes a chord with the jury and fans alike. Wildcard indie: Blue Prince or Despelote might be surprise candidates in the categories for Best Debut Indie or Best Independent Game. Multiplayer upset: Arc Raiders’ surprise snub might make Best Multiplayer go to either Battlefield 6 or Split Fiction. 

Why This Year’s Game Awards Matter Trendsetter for 2026

The success of Game Pass–based and indie titles may dictate how publishers issue their big-name games next year. Accessibility gains more prominence: With recognition comes the likelihood that inclusive design will be considered much earlier by the developers. Cross-media momentum: We may be on the verge of a time when more game-first IPs are put into development as film or TV entities, and vice versa. Sustained community-driven models: Awards for ongoing games confirm that live-service models are still relevant and meaningful today, especially when community involvement is considered. 

Final Thoughts 

The Game Awards 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing editions yet. With Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 rewriting the nomination record, subscription services like Xbox Game Pass gaining even more prestige, and indie games standing shoulder-to-shoulder with AAA behemoths, the show isn’t just a celebration of the year’s best-it’s a signpost for where gaming is headed.