Predicting The Game Awards 2025 Game of the Year Nominations
2025 has been an absolutely stacked year for video games, which will surely make it difficult for The Game Awards panelists to decide on what fits into each category. Though there have been a few disappointments throughout 2025, such as the delay of Grand Theft Auto 6 into next year, there has been no shortage of brilliant games to enjoy within virtually every genre. Seven 2025 releases find themselves getting into the 90s on Metacritic, with another dozen games landing in the high 80s.
However, it’s not as simple as picking the best reviewed games of 2025 and calling it a day, as the six typical Game of the Year slots tend to have a surprise or two, with certain games’ popularity and genre variety for the nominees often factored in. With 2025 being as special as it has been, there will undoubtedly be some big omissions from the event’s most important category, whether that be late arrivals like Dispatch or Blue Prince having bigger indie darlings to contend with. The following six games are a potential lineup for this year’s Game Awards festivities, though only half of the lineup truly feels set in stone.
The official Game Awards 2025 nominees will be revealed at Noon EST on Monday, November 17.
The Game Awards 2025’s Potential Game of the Year Lineup
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Hades 2
- Death Stranding 2
- Donkey Kong: Bananza
- Split Fiction
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Contrary to Shroud’s thoughts on Clair Obscur, Expedition 33 is the hands-down favorite for Game of the Year in the eyes of many gamers, and is practically guaranteed to be one of the six games nominated in Geoff Keighley’s annual celebration of the year’s best releases. Filled with distinct, well-acted characters and boasting a powerful story full of moments that many will never forget, Expedition 33 would arguably be deserving of a nomination even if it didn’t have anything else going for it. However, its strengths continue, with a stunning art style, beautiful soundtrack, and a take on turn-based combat that can be enjoyed by even the genre’s biggest detractors. Though there is a game that reviewed slightly better further edown on this list, the game’s 92 on Metacritic is hugely impressive, especially considering how it essentially came out of nowhere and took the world by storm. The 9.6 user score reflects how beloved it is with regular gamers, too, and it will surely bring home many votes because of that.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
After years of radio silence and concerns of the game being trapped in development hell, Hollow Knight: Silksong finally debuted to rave reviews in early September. The game sits at a 91 on Metacritic, towering above many large releases despite the humble size of Team Cherry. A worthy successor to a genuine classic, Silksong boasts everything that made the original game special, be it the surprisingly deep lore, rewarding combat, or engaging exploration. While Silksong’s difficulty has been a hot topic since the game first debuted, with adjustments even being made to the early areas of the title via post-launch updates, for many it’s something that benefits the game. It certainly sets it apart from the other games on the list, and while Silksong was dethroned by the next game in terms of review scores, it’s a deserving nominee that has a chance to take home the trophy.
Hades 2
The final game that feels guaranteed for The Game Awards 2025 is Hades 2. Not only did it beat Hollow Knight: Silksong on Metacritic and Open Critic, but with a 95 on the form and a 94 on the latter, it’s the most critically acclaimed release of the year. Minor gripes about Hades 2’s ending aside, the game is exactly what someone could want from a follow-up to Hades. A new protagonist brings a distinct story and fresh abilities, contributing to a sequel with deeper progression and combat as well as several memorable NPCs to interact with. Selene’s Hexes, the Arcana system, and elemental affinities all add depth to the experience, while the art style and music of Supergiant’s world remain top-tier. With two routes meaning more bosses, regions, and content, it’s incredible just how polished Hades 2 is, as it’s a bigger and arguably better title than its predecessor.
Death Stranding 2
Though it’s not guaranteed to be a nominee like the titles above, it does feel quite likely for Death Stranding 2 to make the cut this year. Geoff Keighley’s deep appreciation for Hideo Kojima and his work could give Death Stranding 2 some brownie points in the nomination process, but the game undoubtedly deserves a nomination on its own merits. Dozens of quality-of-life upgrades remove any tedium from the franchise’s unique delivery-oriented gameplay, while combat and stealth are very deep thanks to new mechanics being introduced at every turn. Death Stranding 2 is arguably the most graphically impressive game ever made, with its world being as varied as it is beautiful and its character models being borderline photorealistic. It may lack the highs of the first game’s story, as nothing hits quite as hard as Cliff’s final scene, but the narrative is consistently strong from beginning to end in Death Stranding 2. Every character gets time to shine, with all the new additions being memorable and returning characters like Higgs evolving in interesting ways. The strand system remains a huge draw, too, with everything coming together to create a stellar game.
Potential replacement: Ghost of Yotei. If The Game Awards wanted to represent PlayStation through a different exclusive, Ghost of Yotei could join the nominees. Though it only has an 86 on Metacritic (3 points lower than DS2), this sequel remains stellar, with its combat and world consistently praised and issues like Tsushima’s repetitive side content addressed.
Donkey Kong Bananza
One of a few big exclusives built to take advantage of the Nintendo Switch 2’s increased power, Donkey Kong Bananza sits at an impressive 91 on Metacritic. Much like Death Stranding 2, Bananza thrives by being unique, as its gameplay revolves around players terraforming the environment with the titular ape’s punches and slams. This makes the hunt for bananas endlessly satisfying, as players are literally destroying the level to find the collectibles. Its music is catchy, there’s a good variety of environments, and there’s plenty of Nintendo charm to the characters. The co-op mode where a second player controls Pauline is a great gesture that leans into the family focus of the company behind Donkey Kong, and though the game could have benefited from being a little bit more challenging, tearing up environments is so satisfying that many likely won’t care about how easy the game is. If The Game Awards wants to give a nod to both PlayStation and Nintendo for their consistent output of quality exclusives, this game would be a natural addition to the lineup.
Potential replacement: Mario Kart World. Just like with PlayStation, there is a second big Switch 2 exclusive that could be considered for this position. While Mario Kart World’s 86 metascore is reflective of how the game can range from good to great depending on how one feels about the shift to open-world, the actual kart-racing remains stellar, and the music is a treat for series veterans in particular.
Split Fiction
Rounding out the six likeliest nominees is Split Fiction, Hazelight Studios’ latest co-op outing. Considering the studio’s pedigree as a former Game of the Year winner at The Game Awards, the game will likely be able to overcome the early 2025 release that often proves to be a death knell for games come award season. Split Fiction certainly deserves to be celebrated, as it takes full advantage of two settings — sci-fi and fantasy — to shake things up at every turn. Players can shift from doing Metroid-like puzzles to riding dragons within minutes, with Hazelight’s emphasis on co-op fun, variety, and teamwork constantly shining through. The story is serviceable and a step up from It Takes Two as well, as though there’s some cheesy dialogue that doesn’t compare to something like Hades 2 or Expedition 33, there’s solid character development for Mio and Zoe throughout. There’s plenty of humor that lands, too, and narrowing the focus to two genres helps the experience feel focused, with every bold gameplay mechanic making sense. If someone has a friend or loved one to play with, Split Fiction is easily one of the best games of 2025.
Potential Replacements: Dispatch or Blue Prince. Mentioned earlier, both of these games are extremely well reviewed, sitting at a 90 and 92 on Metacritic respectfully. Dispatch is full of memorable characters and brilliant dialogue, nailing the Telltale-like vibes. Blue Prince is as clever as its title from beginning to end, as it’s a puzzle game that blends elements of other genres like roguelikes to constantly keep players on their toes in the blueprint-focused experience. However, both games’ genres could work against them, with puzzle games like Blue Prince being niche and the focus on choices instead of traditional gameplay in Dispatch likely to put some players off. Still, the constant humor of Dispatch and unwinding mystery of Blue Prince make both games worthy of acclaim.
Which of the Likely Game Awards 2025 GOTY Nominees is Most Likely to Win?
As previously mentioned, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 feels like a comfortable favorite for The Game Award’s next Game of the Year choice. Whereas fans have nitpicks about the other nominees, be it the ending of Hades 2 or the difficulty of Hollow Knight: Silksong, Clair Obscur is as close to flawless as a video game can get. It being so beloved by fans and critics alike puts Sandfall Interactive’s debut title in a promising position to win big. Add on the sheer surprise of the game’s success, and the fact that it is a debut title for Sandfall, and the story behind the game makes it even harder to argue against it winning the biggest award available to it. Whereas Hades 2 had months in Early Access to evolve into the best-reviewed game of 2025, leaning on feedback and adding content piece by piece, Clair Obscur had everything to prove when it debuted. It did just that, making it not just a likely nominee for Game of the Year, but the likeliest to win this coveted Game Award as well.