The Game Awards Nominations 2025: ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’ Becomes Most-Nominated Game Ever With 12 Nods

The nominations for The Game Awards 2025 have been revealed, setting the stage for one of the gaming industry’s most anticipated annual events. This year, one title stands out significantly: Sandfall Interactive’s “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,” which has secured a remarkable 12 nominations, making it the most-nominated game in the 11-year history of the awards. This unprecedented number of nods highlights the game’s broad appeal and critical acclaim across various aspects of its development and design.

A Historic Showing for ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’

Sandfall Interactive’s “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,” published by Kepler Interactive, has captivated the industry’s jury, earning a record-breaking 12 nominations. This substantial recognition places it at the forefront of the competition, demonstrating a widespread appreciation for its contributions to the gaming landscape. Among its many accolades, the game is a strong contender for the coveted Game of the Year award, a category that also features other highly anticipated titles such as “Death Stranding 2: On The Beach,” “Donkey Kong Bananza,” “Hades II,” “Hollow Knight: Silksong,” and “Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.”

Beyond the top prize, “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” also received nominations in critical development categories, including Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, Best Score and Music (for Lorien Testard), and Best Audio Design. Its cast also garnered multiple nominations for Best Performance, with Ben Starr, Charlie Cox, and Jennifer English all recognized for their work within the game. The game’s impact extends to the independent scene, earning nominations for both Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie Game, underscoring its impressive launch and independent spirit. Furthermore, it is a nominee for Best RPG, a testament to its depth and role-playing mechanics.

Game of the Year Contenders and Key Categories

The race for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2025 is highly competitive, featuring a diverse array of experiences:

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
• Hades II (Supergiant Games)
• Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry)
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (Warhorse Studios/Deep Silver)

Other significant categories highlight excellence across various creative and technical domains:

Best Game Direction

Recognizing outstanding creative vision and innovation in game design and direction:

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Hades II (Supergiant Games)
• Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios/EA)

Best Narrative

Honoring exceptional storytelling and narrative design in games:

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (Warhorse Studios/Deep Silver)
• Silent Hill f (NeoBards Entertainment/KONAMI)

Publisher Dominance and Other Notable Nominations

While “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” achieved individual game success, Sony Interactive Entertainment emerged as the most-nominated publisher with 19 nominations, even though its top title, “Ghost of Yōtei,” did not receive a Game of the Year nod. Kepler Interactive followed with 13 nominations, and Electronic Arts and Microsoft tied for third place with 10 nominations each.

The Game Awards also celebrate the growing trend of video game adaptations in other media. The Best Adaptation category includes several high-profile projects:

• A Minecraft Movie (Legendary Pictures/Mojang/Warner Bros)
• Devil May Cry (Studio Mir/Capcom/Netflix)
• The Last of Us: Season 2 (HBO/PlayStation Productions)
• Splinter Cell: Deathwatch (FOST Studio/Ubisoft/Netflix)
• Until Dawn (Screen Gems/PlayStation Productions)

The independent game scene is also well-represented, with “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” notably appearing in both Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie Game. Other indie standouts include “Hades II” and “Hollow Knight: Silksong” for Best Independent Game, and “Blue Prince” and “Despelote” for Best Debut Indie Game.

The Game Awards 2025 Ceremony Details

Hosted by Geoff Keighley, The Game Awards 2025 ceremony will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on December 11th. The event is scheduled from 5-8 p.m. PT / 8-11 p.m. ET. Attendees and viewers can anticipate a program filled with world premieres of upcoming games, major new game announcements, and musical performances. Adding to the star power, cast members from Amazon’s “Fallout” TV series, which is set to debut its second season next month, are slated to present awards during the show.

For those unable to attend in person, the awards will be broadly accessible through various streaming platforms. The 2025 edition will stream across free platforms such as YouTube, Twitch, X, and TikTok, alongside several platforms in China. Building on its expanding reach, The Game Awards has also forged a new partnership with Amazon, allowing the show to stream on Prime Video this year. This expands the show’s potential audience, following the 2024 edition which garnered over 154 million livestreams globally.

The Nomination and Voting Process

The selection of nominees for The Game Awards is a rigorous process, overseen by a global jury comprising over 150 media publications and creator outlets from around the world. This diverse panel ensures a comprehensive and informed perspective on the year’s best games. In addition to the jury’s selections, fans also have a significant role in determining the winners. Public voting is open from now until December 10th at 6 p.m. PT via authenticated online voting on the official website, www.thegameawards.com. In China, fans can cast their votes on platforms such as Bilibili. Fan votes are factored into the overall outcome alongside the jury’s final decisions, emphasizing community involvement in recognizing excellence in gaming.

Full List of Nominees Across Categories

Here is a comprehensive overview of the nominations for The Game Awards 2025:

GAME OF THE YEAR

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
• Hades II (Supergiant Games)
• Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry)
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (Warhorse Studios/Deep Silver)

BEST GAME DIRECTION

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Hades II (Supergiant Games)
• Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios/EA)

BEST NARRATIVE

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (Warhorse Studios/Deep Silver)
• Silent Hill f (NeoBards Entertainment/KONAMI)

BEST ART DIRECTION

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Hades II (Supergiant Games)
• Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry)

BEST SCORE AND MUSIC, LEVELED UP BY SPOTIFY

• Christopher Larkin, Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Darren Korb, Hades II
• Lorien Testard, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Toma Otowa, Ghost of Yōtei
• Woodkid and Ludvig Forssell, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

BEST AUDIO DESIGN

• Battlefield 6 (Battlefield Studios/EA)
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Silent Hill f (NeoBards Entertainment/KONAMI)

BEST PERFORMANCE

• Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Charlie Cox, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Erika Ishii, Ghost of Yōtei
• Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Konatsu Kato, Silent Hill f
• Troy Baker, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

INNOVATION IN ACCESSIBILITY

• Assassin’s Creed Shadows (Ubisoft)
• Atomfall (Rebellion)
• Doom: The Dark Ages (id Software/Bethesda Softworks)
• EA Sports FC 26 (EA Canada/EA Romania/EA)
• South of Midnight (Compulsion Games/Xbox Game Studios)

GAMES FOR IMPACT

• Consume Me (Jenny Jiao Hsia/AP Thomson/Hexacutable)
• Despelote (Julián Cordero/Sebastián Valbuena/Panic)
• Lost Records: Bloom & Rage (Don’t Nod Montreal/Don’t Nod)
• South of Midnight (Compulsion Games/Xbox Game Studios)
• Wanderstop (Ivy Road/Annapurna Interactive)

BEST ONGOING

• Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)
• Fortnite (Epic Games)
• Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Marvel Rivals (NetEase Games)
• No Man’s Sky (Hello Games)

BEST COMMUNITY SUPPORT

• Baldur’s Gate 3 (Larian Studios)
• Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix)
• Fortnite (Epic Games)
• Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• No Man’s Sky (Hello Games)

BEST INDEPENDENT GAME

• Absolum (Guard Crush Games/Supamonks/Dotemu)
• Ball x Pit (Kenny Sun/Devolver Digital)
• Blue Prince (Dogubomb/Raw Fury)
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive)
• Hades II (Supergiant Games)
• Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry)

BEST DEBUT INDIE GAME

• Blue Prince (Dogubomb/Raw Fury)
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Despelote (Julián Cordero/Sebastián Valbuena/Panic)
• Dispatch (AdHoc Studio)
• Megabonk (Vedinad)

BEST MOBILE GAME

• Destiny: Rising (NetEase Games)
• Persona 5: The Phantom X (Black Wings Game Studio/Sega)
• Sonic Rumble (Rovio Entertainment/Sega)
• Umamusume: Pretty Derby (Cygames Inc.)
• Wuthering Waves (Kuro Games)

BEST VR/AR

• Alien: Rogue Incursion (Survios)
• Arken Age (VitruviusVR)
• Ghost Town (Fireproof Games)
• Marvel’s Deadpool VR (Twisted Pixel Games/Oculus Studios)
• The Midnight Walk (MoonHood/Fast Travel Games)

BEST ACTION

• Battlefield 6 (Battlefield Studios/EA)
• Doom: The Dark Ages (id Software/Bethesda Softworks)
• Hades II (Supergiant Games)
• Ninja Gaiden 4 (Platinum Games/Team Ninja/Xbox Game Studios)
• Shinobi: Art of Vengeance (Lizardcube/Sega)

BEST ACTION/ADVENTURE

• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (MachineGames/Bethesda Softworks)
• Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry)
• Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios/EA)

BEST RPG

• Avowed (Obsidian Entertainment/Xbox Game Studios)
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive)
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (Warhorse Studios/Deep Silver)
• The Outer Worlds 2 (Obsidian Entertainment/Xbox Game Studios)
• Monster Hunter Wilds (Capcom)

BEST FIGHTING

• 2XKO (Riot Games)
• Capcom Fighting Collection 2 (Capcom)
• Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves (SNK Corporation)
• Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection (Digital Eclipse/Atari)
• Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/Sega)

BEST FAMILY

• Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
• LEGO Party! (SMG Studio/Fictions)
• LEGO Voyagers (Light Brick Studios/Annapurna Interactive)
• Mario Kart World (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
• Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds (Sonic Team/Sega)
• Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios/EA)

BEST SIM/STRATEGY

• The Alters (11 Bit Studios)
• FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles (Square Enix)
• Jurassic World Evolution 3 (Frontier Developments)
• Sid Meier’s Civilization VII (Firaxis Games/2K)
• Tempest Rising (Slipgate Ironworks/3D Realms)
• Two Point Museum (Two Point Studios/Sega)

BEST SPORTS/RACING

• EA Sports FC 26 (EA Canada/EA Romania/EA)
• F1 25 (Codemasters/EA)
• Mario Kart World (Nintendo EPD/Nintendo)
• Rematch (Sloclap/Kepler Interactive)
• Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds (Sonic Team/Sega)

BEST MULTIPLAYER

• Arc Raiders (Embark Studios)
• Battlefield 6 (Electronic Arts)
• Elden Ring Nightreign (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco Entertainment)
• Peak (Aggro Crab/Landfall)
• Split Fiction (Hazelight/EA)

BEST ADAPTATION

• A Minecraft Movie (Legendary Pictures/Mojang/Warner Bros)
• Devil May Cry (Studio Mir/Capcom/Netflix)
• The Last of Us: Season 2 (HBO/PlayStation Productions)
• Splinter Cell: Deathwatch (FOST Studio/Ubisoft/Netflix)
• Until Dawn (Screen Gems/PlayStation Productions)

MOST ANTICIPATED GAME

• 007 First Light (IO Interactive)
• Grand Theft Auto VI (Rockstar Games)
• Marvel’s Wolverine (Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
• Resident Evil Requiem (Capcom)
• The Witcher IV (CD Projekt Red)

CONTENT CREATOR OF THE YEAR

• Caedrel
• Kai Cenat
• MoistCr1TiKaL
• Sakura Miko
• The Burnt Peanut

BEST ESPORTS GAME

• Counter-Strike 2 (Valve)
• DOTA 2 (Valve)
• League of Legends (Riot)
• Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Moonton)
• Valorant (Riot)

BEST ESPORTS ATHLETE

• brawk – Brock Somerhalder (Valorant)
• Chovy – Jeong Ji-hoon (League of Legends)
• f0rsakeN – Jason Susanto (Valorant)
• Kakeru – Kakeru Watanabe (Street Fighter)
• MenaRD – Saul Leonardo (Street Fighter)
• Zyw0o – Mathieu Herbaut (Counter-Strike 2)

BEST ESPORTS TEAM

• Gen.G – League of Legends
• NRG – Valorant
• Team Falcons – DOTA 2
• Team Liquid PH – Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
• Team Vitality – Counter-Strike 2

Conclusion

The Game Awards Nominations 2025 have certainly generated significant buzz, largely thanks to “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” and its record-setting 12 nods. This year’s lineup showcases a vibrant and innovative period in gaming, with both established franchises and promising new titles vying for recognition across a wide spectrum of categories. As the industry prepares for the grand ceremony on December 11th, the anticipation builds for who will ultimately take home the trophies and shape the conversation around the year’s most impactful gaming experiences.