With less than a month to go before Geoff Keighley’s combination accolade blitz and advertising bombardment, The Game Awards has just announced its 2025 slate of nominees, determined by a yearly panel of critics, journalists, and industry personalities. And it is, without a doubt, the most French set of TGA nominations to date.
If you’ve been involved in any conversation this year about JRPGs, turn-based combat, dev studio sizes, parrying, or the profound absurdity of French culture, it should come as no surprise that Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is TGA 2025’s most-nominated game. Including its Game of the Year nomination, Clair Obscur is in contention for 10 awards—three more than Death Stranding 2.
(Image credit: Kepler Interactive)
And you know how much they love Kojima over at Geoff’s house, so that’s saying a lot.
While Clair Obscur might be boasting the most nominations, it’ll still have to outvote the likes of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and the sheer cultural force of Hollow Knight: Silksong. If I know anything about Silksong fans, it’s their ability to channel manic energy into a website.
If you want to weigh in for the TGAs yourself before the show airs on December 11, head to the TGA site to cast your votes. You’ll have some tough questions to ask yourself—like “how is ‘Game of the Year’ different from ‘Best Game Direction’?” or “which of the three separate Clair Obscur vocal performers who make up half of the Best Performance nominees deserves it most?” or “I guess we’re still not doing the Future Class, then?”
(Image credit: Team Cherry)
That’s assuming the TGA site stops buckling under the weight of eager voters, of course. If you could use a backup, here’s the full rundown of the TGA 2025 nominations:
Game of the Year
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Death Stranding 2: On The BeachDonkey Kong BananzaHades 2Hollow Knight: SilksongKingdom Come: Deliverance 2
(Image credit: Warhorse Studios)
Best Game Direction
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Death Stranding 2: On The BeachGhost of YōteiHades 2Split Fiction
Innovation in Accessibility
Assassin’s Creed ShadowsAtomfallDoom: The Dark AgesEA Sports FC 26South of Midnight
Best Independent Game
AbsolumBall x PitBlue PrinceClair Obscur: Expedition 33Hades 2Hollow Knight: Silksong
(Image credit: Raw Fury)
Best Performance
Ben Starr - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Charlie Cox - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Erika Ishii - Ghost of YōteiJennifer English - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Konatsu Kato - Silent Hill FTroy Baker - Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Best Debut Indie Game
Blue PrinceClair Obscur: Expedition 33DespeloteDispatchMegabonk
Best Action Game
Battlefield 6Doom: The Dark AgesHades 2Ninja Gaiden 4Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
(Image credit: EA)
Best Action/Adventure Game
Death Stranding 2: On the BeachGhost of YōteiIndiana Jones and the Great CircleHollow Knight: SilksongSplit Fiction
Best Role Playing Game
AvowedClair Obscur: Expedition 33Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2The Outer Worlds 2Monster Hunter Wilds
Best Sim/Strategy Game
The AltersFinal Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice ChroniclesJurassic World Evolution 3Sid Meier’s Civilization 7Tempest RisingTwo Point Museum
(Image credit: 2K Games)
Best Fighting Game
2XKOCapcom Fighting Collection 2Fatal Fury: City of the WolvesMortal Kombat: Legacy KollectionVirtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage
Best Family Game
Donkey Kong BananzaLEGO Party!Lego VoyagersMario Kart WorldSonic Racing: CrossWorldsSplit Fiction
Best Sports/Racing Game
EA Sports FC 26F1 25Mario Kart WorldRematchSonic Racing: CrossWorlds
(Image credit: Sega)
Best Multiplayer
Arc RaidersBattlefield 6Elden Ring NightreignPeakSplit Fiction
Best Narrative
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Death Stranding 2: On the BeachGhost of YōteiKingdom Come: Deliverance 2Silent Hill F
Best Audio Design
Battlefield 6Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Death Stranding 2: On the BeachGhost of YōteiSilent Hill F
(Image credit: Konami)
Best Score & Music
Hollow Knight: SilksongHades 2Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Ghost of YōteiDeath Stranding 2: On the Beach
Best Art Direction
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Death Stranding 2: On the BeachGhost of YōteiHades 2Hollow Knight: Silksong
Best Adaptation
A Minecraft MovieDevil May CryThe Last of Us: Season 2Splinter Cell: DeathwatchUntil Dawn
(Image credit: Warner Bros)
Best Mobile Game
Destiny: RisingPersona 5: The Phantom XSonic RumbleUmamusume: Pretty DerbyWuthering Waves
Best Ongoing Game
Final Fantasy 14FortniteHelldivers 2Marvel RivalsNo Man’s Sky
Content Creator of the Year
CaedrelKai CenatMoistCr1TiKalSakura MikoThe Burnt Peanut
(Image credit: Valve)
Best Esports Game
Counter-Strike 2DOTA 2League of LegendsMobile Legends: Bang BangValorant
Best Esports Athlete
brawkChovyf0rsakeNKakeruMenaRDZyw0o
Best Esports Team
Gen.G - League of LegendsNRG - ValorantTeam Falcons - DOTA 2Team Liquid PH - Mobile Legends: Bang BangTeam Vitality - Counter-Strike 2
Best Community Support
Baldur’s Gate 3Final Fantasy 14FortniteHelldivers 2No Man’s Sky
Most Anticipated Game
007 First LightGrand Theft Auto 6Marvel’s WolverineResident Evil RequiemThe Witcher 4
2025 games: This year’s upcoming releasesBest PC games: Our all-time favoritesFree PC games: Freebie festBest FPS games: Finest gunplayBest RPGs: Grand adventuresBest co-op games: Better together
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