Game of the Year Nominees 2026

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:

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Donkey Kong Bananza

Hades II

Hollow Knight: Silksong

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

FAQs Which game is most likely to win Game of the Year 2025?

The game that is most likely to win Game of the Year 2025 is

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

. It leads all nominees with 12 total nods and has been praised by critics and fans alike for its originality, combat, and emotional depth.

How to vote for The Game Awards 2025?

You can vote on The Game Awards official website. Simply log in, browse each category, and select your picks. You can change your votes until the final deadline before the show airs.

Where to watch the Game Awards ceremony?

You can watch the Game Awards ceremony on YouTube, Twitch, and various global platforms. Viewers can also tune in via the official site or watch party partners for live commentary and analysis.