Video industry game is back with its most prestigious awards event to celebrate the best achievements of developers around the world. The Game Awards This year, the atmosphere was different as the main stage was no longer dominated by giant sequels with fantastic budgets. The focus has now shifted to independent works that offer in-depth narratives, sending a strong signal that unique artistic vision is a major selling point in the eyes of the jury and the global community.
Indie's Big Surprise on The Game Awards Stage
This year's highlights include Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Game genre dark fantasy successfully made new history by sweeping a total of nine trophies, including the highest award Game of the Year. This victory is significant because Clair Obscur has to compete with big titles like Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
This brilliant achievement proves that the boundaries between games indie and AAA are getting thinner. Quality of execution and depth of story are now valued more than just the size of the production budget. Clair Obscur not only took home the top prize, but was also recognized for its excellence in various crucial technical and artistic aspects.
This game won the category Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, and Best RPG. Jennifer English, who voices a character in the game, also won an award. Best Performance. He beat out veteran actors like Troy Baker and Ben Starr, confirming that 2025 is the year of victory for boundless creativity.
Also Read: Review of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Community Victory
This year was also a proving moment for the long-awaited title. Hollow Knight: Silksong, which has been a hot topic for years due to the uncertainty of its release date, has finally shown its fangs. The game managed to win the Best Action/Adventure, beating out tough competitors such as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. This victory validates that a developer's patience in polishing a game to perfection will always pay off.
Meanwhile, enthusiasm for Grand Theft Auto 6 is still unstoppable. Although many new games have emerged, Rockstar Games' work is still firmly winning the category of Most Anticipated Game. This proves that hype built for games open-world This legend is still very strong among gamers.
On the other hand, there was a stark difference in taste between the critics' jury and the fan base. In the category of Players Voice, whose winners are determined purely by fan votes, Wuthering Waves came out on top. This victory defeated critics' favorite titles, showing just how massive the power of the gaming community is gacha at the moment. A similar trend is seen in the Best Mobile Game which was won by Umamusume: Pretty Derby.
Full List of The Game Awards 2025 Winners
Game of the Year
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - WINNER
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Hades 2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Best Game Direction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - WINNER
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Hades 2
- Split Fiction
Best Narrative
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - WINNER
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- Silent Hill f
Best Art Direction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - WINNER
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Hades 2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
Best Score and Music
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Hades 2
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - WINNER
- Ghost of Yotei
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Best Audio Design
- Battlefield 6 - WINNER
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Silent Hill f
Best Performance
- Ben Starr (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
- Charlie Cox (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
- Erika Ishii (Ghost of Yotei)
- Jennifer English (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33) - WINNER
- Konatsu Kato (Silent Hill f)
- Troy Baker (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle)
Games for Impact
- Consume Me
- Despelote
- Lost Records: Bloom & Rage
- South of Midnight - WINNER
- Wanderstop
Innovation in Accessibility
- Assassin's Creed Shadows
- Atomfall
- Doom: The Dark Ages - WINNER
- EA Sports FC 26
- South of Midnight
Best Ongoing Game
- Final Fantasy 14
- Fortnite
- Helldivers 2
- Marvel Rivals
- No Man's Sky - WINNER
Best Community Support
- Baldur's Gate 3 - WINNER
- Final Fantasy 14
- Fortnite
- Helldivers 2
- No Man's Sky
Best Independent Game
- Absolum
- Ball x Pit
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - WINNER
- Hades 2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
Best Debut Indie Game
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - WINNER
- Despelote
- Dispatch
- Megabonk
Best Mobile Game
- Destiny: Rising
- Persona 5: The Phantom X
- Sonic Rumble
- Umamusume: Pretty Derby - WINNER
- Wuthering Waves
Best VR/AR Game
- Alien: Rogue Incursion
- Arken Age
- Ghost Town
- Marvel's Deadpool VR
- The Midnight Walk - WINNER
Best Action Game
- Battlefield 6
- Doom: The Dark Ages
- Hades 2 - WINNER
- Ninja Gaiden 4
- Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
Best Action/Adventure Game
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yotei
- Hollow Knight: Silksong - WINNER
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Split Fiction
Best Role-Playing Game
- Avowed
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - WINNER
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- Monster Hunter Wilds
- The Outer Worlds 2
Best Fighting Game
- 2XKO
- Capcom Fighting Collection 2
- Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves - WINNER
- Mortal Kombat: Legacy Collection
- Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage
Best Family Game
- Donkey Kong Bananza - WINNER
- LEGO Party!
- LEGO Voyagers
- Mario Kart World
- Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
- Split Fiction
Best Sim/Strategy Game
- The Alters
- Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles - WINNER
- Jurassic World Evolution 3
- Sid Meier's Civilization 7
- Tempest Rising
- Two Point Museum
Best Sports/Racing Game
- EA Sports FC 26
- F1 25
- Mario Kart World - WINNER
- Rematch
- Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
Best Multiplayer Game
- ARC Raiders - WINNER
- Battlefield 6
- Elden Ring: Nightreign
- Peak
- Split Fiction
Content Creator of the Year
- Caedrel
- Kai Cenat
- MoistCr1TiKaL - WINNER
- Sakura Miko
- The Burnt Peanut
Best Esports Game
- Counter-Strike 2 - WINNER
- Dota 2
- League of Legends
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
- Valorant
Best Esports Athlete
- Brawk
- Chovy - WINNER
- Forsaken
- Kakeru
- Menard
- Zywoo
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) - WINNER
Best Adaptation
- A Minecraft Movie
- Devil May Cry
- Splinter Cell: Deathwatch
- The Last of Us Season 2 - WINNER
- Until Dawn
Players Voice
- Clair Obscure: Expedition 33
- Dispatch
- Genshin Impact
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Wuthering Waves - WINNER
Most Anticipated Game
- 007 First Light
- Grand Theft Auto 6 - WINNER
- Marvel's Wolverine
- Resident Evil Requiem
- The Witcher 4
