Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is nominated in almost every category in the Game Developers Choice Awards 2026

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was one of the biggest games of 2025, and its strong award run is still going. The game received praise for almost everything it offered, including its detailed world, well-written characters, engaging combat, and strong storytelling. Because of this, it has already picked up several awards over the past year. And as expected, that success is now carrying over to the Game Developers Choice Awards.

The nominations for the 26th annual GDC Awards have been revealed, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is leading the event with eight nominations. The award ceremony will take place on March 12 during the GDC Festival of Gaming in San Francisco. Since there are only nine categories in total, the game is nominated in almost every one.

Specifically, Expedition 33 is nominated for Best Audio, Best Debut, Best Design, Innovation Award, Best Narrative, Best Technology, Best Visual Art, and Game of the Year. The only category it did not receive a nomination for is Social Impact. 

Other major games are also represented at this year’s awards. Ghost of Yotei received five nominations, while Blue Prince, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Split Fiction each picked up four nominations each. Surprisingly, Hollow Knight: Silksong only received the Game of the Year nomination, despite expectations that it would appear in more categories.

It’s also worth noting that the GDC Awards are decided entirely by industry professionals. Winners are chosen by the International Choice Awards Network, which is made up of developers and creators from across the games industry. This means there is no public voting involved.