The Game Awards reveals candidates for 2025's coveted Game of the Year race

Game of the Year nominees for 2025 have officially been revealed along with other contenders for several categories, such as best indie game, best performance, best ongoing game and others. The list includes some obvious candidates, such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. However, other smash hits, such as Doom: The Dark Ages, are notably missing. 

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
• Death Stranding 2
• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Hades 2
• Hollow Knight: Silksong

Other notable absentees include Split Fiction, Arc Raiders, Ghost of Yotei and The Outer Worlds 2, all of which launched to critical acclaim. As one of the most anticipated games to launch this year, Hollow Knight: Silksong was an obvious contender. Hades 2, on the other hand, punched well above its weight class by eliminating Xbox heavyweights. 

Thankfully, Ghost of Yotei has been nominated in seven other categories, so Sucker Punch is likely walking away with at least one award. On the other hand, fan-favourite Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been nominated a whopping twelve times- the most ever in The Game Awards. You can vote for your pick via The Game Awards' website, although user votes won't be the only factor that determine which title wins. The results will be revealed live on December 11.