All 2025 Game of the Year nominations in The Game Awards

The Game Awards are almost here. The popular event, which takes place once a year, will be happening in Los Angeles on December 11, 2025, and fans are looking forward to seeing which game gets the infamous award, Game of the Year. Here is a list of this year's (2025) Game of the Year nominations.

Excited for The Game Awards? The popular show only comes around once a year, and this year the nominations are looking spicy. Below is a list of all the games nominated for Game of the Year in the 2025 Game Awards:

Each game nominated for this year's Game of the Year stands on its own unique pedestal, spanning across multiple genres and game styles. Here is a little overview of each game that has been nominated in this year's Game Awards.

When Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was released, it became a contender for Game of the Year almost immediately. The RPG follows a team on a set mission to destroy an evil being much more powerful than all of them.

Not only are the game's graphics awe-inspiring, but it also gave gamers one of the best plots within the world of gaming, setting the bar high for RPGs releasing in 2026.

The game was developed by Sandfall Interactive and released on Xbox, PlayStation and PC.

We finally got a sequel to the famous Death Stranding game, which was a PlayStation exclusive that released back in 2019. The game, starring Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead), was an expansive open-world RPG that let players explore a brand-new planet.

And as you can imagine, having such a big-name actor, such as Reedus, it had quite the intense and emotional plot. Well, the sequel dropped this year and easily became a favorite, topping the first game for many. Its emotional storyline and beautiful graphics are a contender for topping some of the best plots in the history of gaming, and its open world is as expansive as it gets.

Death Standing 2: On the Beach is a triumph.

Every once in a while, an unexpected game drops that surprises everyone. This year, it was Donkey Kong Bananza. The Switch 2 exclusive took the world of Donkey Kong and turned it upside down, with an expansive open-world style.

The game took everything we know about Donkey Kong and switched it up, giving players so much to explore and more. The game received incredible popularity upon its release, making it one of Nintendo's best releases in a while, and certainly its best release for the Switch 2.

In fact, Donkey Kong Bananza is the only Nintendo-exclusive game nominated for a Game of the Year award at The Game Awards.

If you played Hades II, you would know that Hades II is an easier contender for Game of the Year. The RPG is a follow-up to the hit 2020 game, which created some tough footsteps to follow. Well, Hades II succeeded and is now up for multiple awards in the 2025 Game Awards.

The game was developed by Supergiant Games and can be played on all consoles, even the Switch 2, making it a much more accessible game than some of the others on this list.

The game follows Zagreus, the son of Hades, as he tries to escape the underworld and reunite with his mother, Persephone. It gives gamers a nice twist on Greek Mythology, making it incredibly immersive.

Did you expect to see a 2D game on this list? Well, Hollow Knight: Silksong is defying all odds and is up for Game of the Year at the 2025 Game Awards. The popular Metroidvania-style game became a hit on release, with multiple 10/10 reviews.

The game was developed by Team Cherry and goes to show that sometimes simplicity trumps all. And it's also available on multiple consoles, including the Switch 2, making it another super versatile game up for Game of the Year.

Independent developers sometimes make the best games. Remember that for the future.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is like if Skyrim got rid of its fantasy aspects and became a realistic medieval epic RPG. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Well, the game stole the hearts of many upon release, with its open world being huge and its graphics being beautifully realistic.

Oh, and let's not forget how smooth its combat feels alongside its impressive and addictive storyline. This is a game that you will not be putting down once you start playing it.

So, which game do you think should win Game of the Year at this year's Game Awards?

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