Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Just Set a TGA Record, and the GOTY List Is a Bloodbath
The nominations for Geoff Keighley's big ad-fest are here, and the Game of the Year category is an absolute murderers' row.
The nominations for Geoff Keighley's big ad-fest are here, and the Game of the Year category is an absolute murderers' row.
Well, the list is out. The 2025 Game Awards nominations have been unleashed, and I'm honestly shocked. The big story isn't some 800-pound gorilla from Sony or Microsoft. It's Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
That's right, the turn-based RPG from Sandfall Interactive has absolutely dominated, pulling in 12 nominations. This makes it the most-nominated game in the 11-year history of Geoff's show. A new record, set by a game that isn't even a massive AAA exclusive. I've gotta say, I'm impressed.
The Game of the Year Bloodbath
Now, let's get to the big one. The GOTY category is fucking stacked. There is no clear, obvious winner here, and it's going to be a fight.
Alongside Clair Obscur, we have Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, Kojima's latest beautiful-and-baffling delivery simulator. We've got Donkey Kong Bananza, the big, weird Nintendo entry. And then we have the two indie gods that actually came out this year: Hades II and Hollow Knight: Silksong. Rounding out the list is Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. This is an absolutely brutal lineup with not a single "filler" nom.
Sony's Big Snub
As for the publisher wars, Sony Interactive Entertainment is, unsurprisingly, leading the pack with 19 nominations total. They just hoover up awards. But here's the funny part. Their big prestige holiday title, Ghost of Yōtei, got shut out of the Game of the Year category completely.
Don't get me wrong, it's nominated for a ton of other stuff like Best Direction and Best Narrative, so they're not going home empty-handed. But you just know it stings to be snubbed for the big prize. Kepler Interactive (thanks to Clair Obscur) actually came in second with 13 noms.
The 2025 Nominations (The Ones That Matter)
Here’s a look at the big categories. The full, sprawling list is on the TGA website if you really care about "Best Esports Athlete."
The "Please Give Us a Trailer" Award
The "Most Anticipated Game" category is back, which is just the "please give us a trailer" award. This is where we all just vote for Grand Theft Auto VI and hope Rockstar throws us a bone with a new clip. It's up against Marvel’s Wolverine, The Witcher IV, Resident Evil Requiem, and 007 First Light, but let's be real, GTA VI is taking this.
The Rest of the Show
Geoff's big show is set for December 11th. It's streaming on all the usual free platforms like YouTube and Twitch, but this year it's also on Amazon’s Prime Video. The Amazon money has officially arrived.
They've even got the cast of the Fallout TV show presenting, which is some prime (heh) corporate synergy. You've got until December 10th to go to the official website and vote. Go do your part, or you're not allowed to complain when the wrong game wins.
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