Game Awards 2025 Winners List and GOTY Breakdown
The Game Awards 2025 delivered one of the most surprising nights in the show’s history. A French indie studio dethroned PlayStation’s flagship titles, massive world premieres stole the spotlight, and gaming’s biggest celebration proved once again why it matters.
Key Event Details:
- Date: December 11, 2025
- Location: Peacock Theater, Los Angeles
- Host: Geoff Keighley
- Big Winner: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (8 wins from 13 nominations)
Game of the Year 2025
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
8 wins from 13 nominations
The Nominees
Main Categories
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Winner
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Hades II
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Winner
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Hades II
- Split Fiction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Winner
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- Silent Hill f
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Winner
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Hades II
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Winner
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Hades II
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Battlefield 6 Winner
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Silent Hill f
- Jennifer English (Expedition 33) Winner
- Ben Starr (Expedition 33)
- Charlie Cox (Expedition 33)
- Erika Ishii (Ghost of Yotei)
- Konatsu Kato (Silent Hill f)
- Troy Baker (Indiana Jones)
- The Last of Us: Season 2 Winner
- A Minecraft Movie
- Devil May Cry
- Splinter Cell: Deathwatch
- Until Dawn
Genre Awards
- Hades II Winner
- Battlefield 6
- Doom: The Dark Ages
- Ninja Gaiden 4
- Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
- Hollow Knight: Silksong Winner
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Split Fiction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Winner
- Avowed
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- The Outer Worlds 2
- Monster Hunter Wilds
- Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Winner
- 2XKO
- Capcom Fighting Collection 2
- Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection
- Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.
- Donkey Kong Bananza Winner
- LEGO Party!
- LEGO Voyagers
- Mario Kart World
- Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
- Split Fiction
- FF TACTICS: Ivalice Chronicles Winner
- The Alters
- Jurassic World Evolution 3
- Sid Meier's Civilization VII
- Tempest Rising
- Two Point Museum
- Mario Kart World Winner
- EA Sports FC 26
- F1 25
- Rematch
- Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
- Arc Raiders Winner
- Battlefield 6
- Elden Ring Nightreign
- Peak
- Split Fiction
Indie & Special Categories
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Winner
- Absolum
- Ball x Pit
- Blue Prince
- Hades II
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Winner
- Blue Prince
- Despelote
- Dispatch
- South of Midnight Winner
- Consume Me
- Despelote
- Lost Records: Bloom & Rage
- Wanderstop
- Doom: The Dark Ages Winner
- Assassin's Creed Shadows
- Atomfall
- EA Sports FC 26
- South of Midnight
- No Man's Sky Winner
- Final Fantasy XIV
- Fortnite
- Helldivers 2
- Marvel Rivals
- Baldur's Gate 3 Winner
- Final Fantasy XIV
- Fortnite
- Helldivers 2
- No Man's Sky
- Umamusume: Pretty Derby Winner
- Destiny: Rising
- Persona 5: The Phantom X
- Sonic Rumble
- Wuthering Waves
- The Midnight Walk Winner
- Alien: Rogue Incursion
- Arken Age
- Ghost Town
- Marvel's Deadpool VR
Esports & Community
- Grand Theft Auto VI Winner
- 007 First Light
- Marvel's Wolverine
- Resident Evil Requiem
- The Witcher IV
- MoistCr1TiKaL Winner
- Caedrel
- Kai Cenat
- Sakura Miko (VTuber)
- The Burnt Peanut
- Counter-Strike 2 Winner
- Dota 2
- League of Legends
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
- Valorant
- Chovy Winner
- brawk
- f0rsakeN
- Kakeru
- MenaRD
- Zyw0o
- Team Vitality - CS2 Winner
- Gen.G - League of Legends
- NRG - Valorant
- Team Falcons - DOTA 2
- Team Liquid PH - MLBB
- Wuthering Waves Winner
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Genshin Impact
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Death Stranding 2
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Deep Dive
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 didn’t just win Game of the Year. It dominated The Game Awards 2025 in a way few games ever have. With 8 wins from 13 nominations, the French indie RPG achieved a 62% conversion rate that speaks to its consistent excellence across every aspect of game development.
What Made It Special
The game reimagines turn-based combat with a real-time reaction system that requires players to actively participate in both offense and defense. Every attack can be enhanced through timed button presses, and every incoming strike can be parried or dodged with precise inputs.
Key innovations include:
- Active Time Battle system with real-time reactions
- Painterly art style that sets new standards for visual design
- Narrative that tackles themes of mortality and legacy
- Score composed by a 65-piece orchestra recorded in Paris
- Performance capture that brings characters to life
The Sandfall Interactive Story
Sandfall Interactive represents everything the indie scene can achieve. Founded in 2019 by veterans from Ubisoft and Quantic Dream, the 30-person studio bet everything on their debut project. That gamble paid off spectacularly tonight.
Studio founder Guillaume Provost accepted the Game of the Year award with visible emotion, thanking the team that spent five years bringing their vision to life. His speech emphasized that the game was made “for everyone who ever felt turn-based games were too slow or too passive.”
World Premieres and Major Announcements
The Game Awards 2025 delivered an unprecedented slate of world premieres that sent shockwaves through the gaming community. Here are the biggest reveals from tonight’s show.
Must-See Reveals:
- Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis - Reimagining of 1996 debut, 2026
- Tomb Raider: Catalyst - Lara’s biggest adventure yet, 2027
- 007 First Light - IO Interactive’s Bond with Gemma Chan
- Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred - Next expansion, April 2026
- Switch 2 Exclusive: Orbitals - Nintendo’s next-gen debut
Resident Evil Requiem (Resident Evil 9)
Capcom dropped the bombshell that fans have been waiting for. Resident Evil Requiem brings back Leon S. Kennedy for the first time since Resident Evil 4’s remake. The trailer revealed a return to survival horror roots with a setting in a remote Eastern European village plagued by a mysterious new bioweapon.
Release Date: February 27, 2026
Tomb Raider Returns with Two New Games
Crystal Dynamics unveiled not one but two Tomb Raider titles. Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis reimagines the 1996 original for PC, PS5, and Xbox in 2026. Tomb Raider: Catalyst promises Lara’s “biggest adventure yet” arriving in 2027.
007 First Light - IO Interactive’s James Bond
The long-awaited James Bond game from the Hitman developers finally showed its hand. 007 First Light features Gemma Chan as Dr. Selina Tan and Lenny Kravitz as Bawma in what promises to be a new take on the spy franchise.
All World Premiere Reveals
| Game | Developer/Publisher | Details | Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| No Law | Neon Giant / KRAFTON | Open-world FPS RPG in neon-sleaze Port Desire | TBA |
| SAROS | TBA | Rahul Kohli stars in new story | TBA |
| Lords of the Fallen II | TBA | Action-RPG sequel | TBA |
| 007 First Light | IO Interactive | James Bond game with Gemma Chan, Lenny Kravitz | TBA |
| Marvel Rivals S6 | NetEase | Night at the Museum - Deadpool joins | Jan 16, 2026 |
| Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred | Blizzard | Next expansion | April 2026 |
| Orbitals | TBA | Switch 2 exclusive | 2026 |
| Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis | Crystal Dynamics | 1996 reimagining | 2026 |
| Tomb Raider: Catalyst | Crystal Dynamics | Lara’s biggest adventure | 2027 |
| Street Fighter Movie | TBA | Live-action film | Oct 16, 2026 |
Conclusion: A Night That Changed Gaming
TGA 2025 Quick Recap:
- GOTY: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (8 wins)
- Fan Favorite: Wuthering Waves (Players’ Voice)
- Biggest Surprises: Hollow Knight: Silksong, Two Tomb Raider games
- Hot Reveals: 007 First Light, Switch 2’s Orbitals, Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred
- GTA 6 hype continues: Most Anticipated (again)
The Game Awards 2025 delivered on every front. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s dominant 8-win performance proved that innovation and artistry still matter most in gaming. Hollow Knight: Silksong finally arrived and won Best Action/Adventure, while Wuthering Waves showed the power of dedicated fanbases with the Players’ Voice award.
The reveals stole the show: two new Tomb Raider games, IO Interactive’s 007 First Light, the first Switch 2 exclusive, and Diablo IV’s next expansion. Whether you’re excited for Lara Croft’s return, Nintendo’s next generation, or the continued dominance of GTA 6 hype, there’s something for everyone.
For now, celebrate the winners, bookmark the release dates, and get ready for another incredible year in gaming. If these announcements have inspired you to start streaming, explore our streaming tools to help track your favorite games and creators. The Game Awards 2025 reminded us why we love this medium.
