2025 The Game Awards Nominees

Techyries LLC
4 days ago
8 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

The 11th annual Game Awards is around the corner. Every year, the Game Awards takes place, celebrating and recognizing some of the best video games and creators in the industry. The 2025 Game Awards takes place on Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California.

On Nov. 17, the Game Awards went live on YouTube and Twitch, announcing the nominees for each category. Watch the announcement stream HERE and find out the Game Awards 2025 nominees below, along with which nominees the hosts of Techyries, Morgan and KP, pick.

Best Performance Nominees

This is awarded to an individual for voice-over acting, motion, and performance capture.

Ben Starr - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Charlie Cox - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Erika Ishii - Ghost of Yōtei ***Morgan's Pick***
Jennifer English - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 ***KP's Pick***
Konatsu Kato - Silent Hill F
Troy Baker - Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best performance HERE.

Best Art Direction Nominees

This is awarded to the game with outstanding technical achievement in artistic design and animation.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 -Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive ***KP's Pick*** ***Morgan's Pick***
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

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best art direction HERE.

Best Score & Music Nominees

This is awarded for outstanding music, inclusive of score, original song, and licensed soundtrack.

Christopher Larkin - Hollow Knight: Silksong
Darren Korb - Hades II
Lorien Testard - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 ***KP's Pick*** ***Morgan's Pick***
Toma Otowa - Ghost of Yōtei
Woodkid & Ludvig Forssell - Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best score & music HERE.

Best Ongoing Game Nominees

This award is given to a game for its outstanding development of ongoing content that continually evolves the player experience over time.

Final Fantasy XIV - Square Enix
Fortnite - Epic Games
Helldivers II - Arrowhead Game Studios/Sony Interactive Entertainment ***Morgan's Pick***
Marvel Rivals - Netease Games
No Man's Sky - Hello Games ***KP's Pick***

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best ongoing game HERE.

Best Mobile Game Nominees

This award is given to the best game playable on a mobile device.

Destiny Rising - Netease Games ***Morgan's Pick***
Persona 5: The Phantom X - Black Wings Game Studio/SEGA
Sonic Rumble - Rovio Entertainment/SEGA
Umamusume: Pretty Games - Cygames Inc.
Wuthering Waves - Kuro Games ***KP's Pick***

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best mobile game HERE.

Best Adaptation Nominees

This award is meant to recognize outstanding creative work that faithfully and authentically adapts a video game to another form of entertainment.

A Minecraft Movie - Legendary Pictures/Mojang/Warner Bros
Devil May Cry - Studio Mir/Capcom/Netflix
Splinter Cell: Deathwatch - FOST Studio/Ubisoft/Netflix
The Last of Us: Season 2 - HBO/PlayStation Productions ***KP's Pick*** ***Morgan's Pick***
Until Dawn - Screen Gems/PlayStation Productions

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best adaptation HERE.

Best Narrative Nominees

This award goes to the game with the best narrative development and storytelling.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive ***Morgan's Pick***
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach - Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment
Ghost of Yōtei - Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment ***KP's Pick***
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Warhorse Studios/Deep Silver
Silent Hill F - NeoBards Entertainment/Konami

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best narrative HERE.

Best Audio Design Nominees

This award goes to the game with the best in-game audio and sound design.

Battlefield 6 - Battlefield Studios/EA
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive ***KP's Pick***
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 ***Morgan's Pick***

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best audio design HERE.

Best Independent Game Nominees

This award goes to the game with the best in-game audio and sound design.

Absolum - Guard Crush games/Supamonks/Dotemu
Ball X Pit - Kenny Sun/Devolver Digital
Blue Prince - Dogubomb/Raw Fury ***KP's Pick***
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive
Hades II - Supergiant Games ***Morgan's Pick***
Hollow Knight: Silksong - Team Cherry

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best independent game HERE.

Best Community Support Nominees

This award recognizes a game with outstanding community support, transparency, and responsiveness. This includes game updates and patches, and social media activity.

Baldur's Gate III - Larian Studios ***Morgan's Pick***
Final Fantasy XIV - Square Enix
Fortnite - Epic Games
Helldivers 2 - Arrowhead Game Studios/Sony Interactive Entertainment
No Man's Sky - Hello Games ***KP's Pick***

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best community support HERE.

Best Multiplayer Game Nominees

This award is for the games with the best online multiplayer design and gameplay. This includes massive multiplayer experiences and co-op, no matter the game genre or platform.

Arc Raiders - Embark Studios
Battlefield 6 - Electronic Arts
Elden Ring Nightreign - FromSoftware/Bandai Namco Entertainment
Peak - Aggro Crab/Landfall ***KP's Pick*** ***Morgan's Pick***
Split Fiction - Hazelight Studios/EA

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best multiplayer game HERE.

Most Anticipated Game Nominees

This award is for an upcoming game with extreme potential to push the gaming medium forward.

007 First Light - IO Interactive
Grand Theft Auto VI - Rockstar Games ***KP's Pick*** ***Morgan's Pick***
Marvel's Wolverine - Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment
Resident Evil Requiem - Capcom
The Witch IV - CD Projekt Red

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards most anticipated game HERE.

Content Creator of the Year Nominees

This award is for a streamer or content creator who has made an important and positive impact on the gaming community in 2025.

Caedrel
Kai Cenat
MoistCr1TiKaL ***Morgan's Pick***
Sakura Miko ***KP's Pick***
The Burnt Peanut

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards content creator of the year HERE.

Best Debut Indie Game Nominees

This award is for the best debut game created by a new indie studio.

Blue Prince - Dogubomb/Raw Fury ***KP's Pick***
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive ***Morgan's Pick***
Despelote - Julián Cordero/Sebastián Valbuena/Panic
Dispatch - AdHoc Studio
Megabonk - Vedinad (Withdrew from Game Awards)

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best debut indie game HERE.

Best Role-Playing Game Nominees

This award is for the best game with a rich story, player customization, and progression. This includes games with massive multiplayer experiences.

Avowed - Obsidian Entertainment/Xbox Game Studios ***Morgan's Pick***
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive ***KP's Pick***
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Warhorse Studios/Deep Silver
Monster Hunter Wilds - Capcom
The Outer Worlds 2 - Obsidian Entertainment/Xbox Game Studios

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best role-playing game HERE.

Best Action/Adventure Game Nominees

This award is for the best action/adventure game. This award highlights the combination of combat, puzzle solving, and travel.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach - Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment
Ghost of Yōtei - Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment
Hollow Knight: Silksong - Team Cherry ***KP's Pick***
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle - MachineGames/Bethesda Softworks ***Morgan's Pick***
Split Fiction - Hazelight Studios/EA

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best action/adventure game HERE.

Best Action Game Nominees

This award is for the best action game, focusing mostly on the combat of the game.

Battlefield 6 - Battlefield Studios/EA ***KP's Pick*** ***Morgan's Pick***
Doom: The Dark Ages - id Software/Bethesda Softworks
Hades II - Supergiant Games
Ninja Gaiden 4 - Platinum Games/Team Ninja/Xbox Game Studios
Shinobi - Art of Vegeance - Lizardcube/SEGA

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best action game HERE.

Best Fighting Game Nominees

This award is for the best fighting game, which is designed for head-to-head combat.

2XKO - Riot Games
Capcom Fighting Collection 2 - Capcom
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves - SNK Corporation ***Morgan's Pick***
Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection - Digital Eclipse/Atari ***KP's Pick***
Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage - Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/SEGA

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best fighting game HERE.

Innovation in Accessibility Nominees

This award recognizes a software or hardware product that is pushing the gaming industry forward by adding features, technology, and content that allow games to be enjoyed and played by a wider audience.

Assassin's Creed Shadows - Ubisoft ***KP's Pick***
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 ***Morgan's Pick***

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards innovation in accessibility HERE.

Best Family Game Nominees

This award is for the best game appropriate for family gaming.

Donkey Kong Bananza - Nintendo EPD/Nintendo ***Morgan's Pick***
LEGO Party! - SMG Studio/Fictions
LEGO Voyagers - Light Brick Studios/Annapurna Interactive
Mario Kart World - Nintendo EPD/Nintendo ***KP's Pick***
Sonic Racing: Crossworlds - Sonic Team/SEGA

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best family game HERE.

Best SIM/Strategy Game Nominees

This award is for the best game focused on real-time or turn-based simulation, or strategy gameplay.

Final Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice Chronicles - Square Enix
Jurassic World Evolution 3 - Frontier Developments
Sid Meier's Civilization VII - Firaxis Games/2K ***KP's Pick***
Tempest Rising - Slipgate Ironworks/3D Realms
The Alters - 11 Bit Studios ***Morgan's Pick***
Two Point Museum - Two Point Studios/Sega

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best SIM/strategy game HERE.

Best Sports/Racing Game Nominees

This award is for the best traditional and non-traditional sports and racing game.

EA Sports FC 26 - EA Canada/EA Romania/EA
F1 25 - Codemasters/EA
Mario Kart World - Nintendo EPD/Nintendo ***KP's Pick*** ***Morgan's Pick***
Rematch - Sloclap/Kepler Interactive
Sonic Racing: Crossworlds - Sonic Team/SEGA

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best sports/racing game HERE.

Best Esports Team Nominees

This award recognizes a specific esports team (not the full organization) that has been judged the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2025.

Gen.G - League of Legends ***Morgan's Pick***
NRG - Valorant
Team Falcons - DOTA 2 ***KP's Pick***
Team Liquid PH - Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Team Vitality - Counter-Strike 2

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best esports team HERE.

Best Esports Athlete Nominees

This award recognizes the esports athlete who is the most outstanding for performance and conduct in 2025.

Brawk/Brock Somerhalder - Valorant
Chovy/Jeong Ji-Hoon - League of Legends ***Morgan's Pick***
Forsaken/Jason Susanto - Valorant ***KP's Pick***
Kakeru/Kakeru Watanabe - Street Fighter
Menard/Saul Leonardo - Street Fighter
Zyw0o/Mathieu Herbaut - Counter-Strike 2

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best esports athlete HERE.

Best Esports Game Nominees

This award is for the game that delivered the best overall esports experience to players. This includes experiences of tournaments, community support, and content updates.

Counter-Strike 2 - Valve
DOTA 2 - Valve
League of Legends - Riot ***Morgan's Pick***
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang - Moonton
Valorant - Riot ***KP's Pick***

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best esports game HERE.

Best Game Direction Nominees

This award is for outstanding creative vision and innovation in game direction and design.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive ***KP's Pick***
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 ***Morgan's Pick***

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards best esports game HERE.

Game of the Year Nominees

This award recognizes a game that delivered the absolutely best experience across all creative and technical fields in 2025.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive ***KP's Pick*** ***Morgan's Pick***
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

Vote for the 2025 Game Awards game of the year HERE.

Steam put together an entire webpage for all of the nominated games available on their platform - some of which are on sale now. Check out the list HERE.

The 2025 Game Awards airs on Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT. KP and Morgan will be live on Twitch and YouTube, hosting a watch party of the event with their followers. Tune in to Techyries - the stream starts by 7:15 p.m. ET/6:15 p.m. CT.

Get more reviews, games, and news by subscribing to the YouTube channel. Join Morgan and KP on Techyries every Sunday at 1 p.m. ET/12 p.m. CT on Twitch and YouTube.