The People Who Make Your Favorite Games Have Picked Their GOTY, And It’s Not What You Expect
There is the Game Awards, and then there is the Famitsu survey.
Every year, the Japanese gaming magazine asks hundreds of industry legends what they actually played in their downtime, and the results are usually a better indicator of quality than any critic's score.
It is a holiday tradition. Famitsu has released its massive end-of-year survey, polling 191 Japanese game creators on their top titles of 2025. Thanks to a massive translation effort by HDKirin on Bluesky, we have a window into the minds of the people building the future of gaming.
What stands out this year isn't just the AAA blockbusters. It is the overwhelming consensus on a few specific titles that seem to have captured the hearts of the industry's elite. If you are looking for something to play over the break, trust the people who make games for a living.
The Cult Hit: Urban Myth Dissolution Center
If there is one winner of this survey, it is Urban Myth Dissolution Center. This pixel-art mystery game appeared on an absurd number of lists, bridging the gap between indie lovers and AAA titans.
Kazuhisa Wada (Persona Studio): Ranked it #1.
Takayuki Nakayama (Street Fighter 6): Ranked it #1.
Masachika Kawata (Resident Evil): Ranked it #1.
Koji Igarashi (Castlevania): Ranked it #1.
When the creators of Street Fighter and Castlevania agree that a paranormal detective game is the best thing they played all year, you buy that game. It is a testament to how strong art direction and narrative can outweigh graphical fidelity, even for developers who work with massive budgets.
The RPG Darling: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The other title dominating the conversation is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. This turn-based RPG seems to have resonated deeply with the Japanese market, particularly among action game developers who appreciate its style.
Satoru Nihei (Onimusha): Ranked it #1.
Yosuke Hayashi (Team Ninja): Ranked it #1.
Junzo Hosoi (Atelier Series): Ranked it #1.
It is interesting to see renowned action developers (like those from Team Ninja and Capcom) gravitating toward a turn-based system. It suggests Clair Obscur did something very special with its combat mechanics to keep that adrenaline high.
The Horror Renaissance
2025 was clearly a good year for being scared. Silent Hill f and Ghost of Yōtei (while not horror, it has that atmospheric intensity) were constant fixtures.
Motoi Okamoto, the producer of the Silent Hill series, naturally didn't vote for his own game (he picked Magical Girl Witch Trials, which is a curveball). However, his peers did. Masachika Kawata (Resident Evil) and Rui Naito (Suikoden) both listed Silent Hill f in their top three, proving that the franchise's revival has stuck the landing with the people who matter most.
Hideki Kamiya is Still Hideki Kamiya
In a sea of people voting for the latest 2025 releases, Hideki Kamiya (creator of Bayonetta and Devil May Cry) stayed entirely on brand. His list?
Tetris 99
Shanghai Refresh
Super Mario Bros
Never change, Kamiya. Never change.
What This List Actually Means
This list is refreshing because it strips away the marketing and the Metacritic obsession. These developers aren't voting for the game with the biggest billboard in Times Square, they are voting for the games they played on their couches after a 12-hour shift.
The dominance of Urban Myth Dissolution Center is a massive signal flare for anyone who loves narrative games. Seeing legends like Kitase-san (Mr. Final Fantasy) vote for a demo of an indie climbing game (Cairn) over major releases shows just how much "gameplay feel" matters to these guys over polish. And frankly, the fact that Ryosuke Horii from RGG Studio picked the absurdist British comedy Thank Goodness You're Here! explains so much about the tone of the Yakuza series. If you want to know where the industry is heading, don't look at the sales charts, look at what the creators are playing.
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