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Game Awards 2025: Everything You Need to Know

Key Takeaways:

  • Game of the Year nominees: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

  • Fan votes count 10% of final results (jury votes 90%), so your vote actually matters across all 27 award categories

  • The show streams live December 11 at 4:30pm PT on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, and for the first time, Amazon Prime Video

  • Expect major game announcements last year revealed The Witcher 4, Elden Ring Nightreign, and Naughty Dog's new game


What is the Game Awards

The Game Awards is an annual ceremony honoring achievements in the video game industry. Founded in 2014 by Geoff Keighley, it is often called the "Oscars of gaming" for celebrating creative and technical excellence across 27 categories like Game of the Year, Best Direction, and Best Performance. With over 150 million livestream views last year, it is gaming's biggest night, blending awards, world premieres, trailers, musical performances, and major announcements that shape the industry's future.



Game of the Year 2025: Who's Actually Going to Win?

The six GOTY nominees are Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.


Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leads with a record-breaking 12 nominations — the most in Game Awards history made by just 30 people at a French studio called Sandfall Interactive. Three of its actors (Ben Starr, Charlie Cox, Jennifer English) are up for Best Performance.



PlayStation exclusives Death Stranding 2 (8 nominations) and Ghost of Yōtei (8 nominations) follow close behind, with Hades II picking up 6 nods.

Based on fan hype, it looks like Expedition 33, Hades 2, and Silksong are battling it out, though vote-splitting could give Donkey Kong Bananza or Kingdom Come: Deliverance II a surprise win.


What Happens During the Show?

The Game Awards 2025 airs live December 11 from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles starting at 4:30pm PT / 7:30pm ET, featuring awards, world premiere announcements and trailers, and musical performances by The Game Awards Orchestra. Watch live on YouTube.


Last year's event broke viewership records with 154 million livestreams up 31% from the previous year. The show streams on YouTube, Twitch, X (Twitter), TikTok, and for the first time ever, Amazon Prime Video.


One of the main reasons people watch? New game reveals. Last year gave us first looks at The Witcher 4, Elden Ring Nightreign, and Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet from Naughty Dog. This year, stars from Amazon's Fallout TV series (which debuts season 2 next month) will present during the event.



Who's Nominated for Best Performance?

Three actors from Clair Obscur (Ben Starr, Charlie Cox, Jennifer English) are nominated alongside Erika Ishii (Ghost of Yōtei), Troy Baker (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle), and Norman Reedus (Death Stranding 2).


That's half the performance category dominated by a single indie game unprecedented.


The Publishers Winning Big

Sony Interactive Entertainment leads all publishers with 19 nominations, followed by Kepler Interactive (publisher of Clair Obscur) with 13, and Microsoft and Electronic Arts tied at 10 each.


Despite Sony's dominance, its biggest title Ghost of Yōtei missed the Game of the Year category entirely a shocking snub that has fans debating whether it deserved a spot over the other nominees.




Why Your Vote Actually Matters

In close categories, the 10% fan vote can absolutely tip the scales. Last year, some categories came down to razor-thin margins where passionate fan communities made the difference.


The Game Awards uses authenticated voting to prevent spam, meaning each verified account gets one vote per category. Your vote is weighted equally with every other fan's vote whether you're a casual gamer or hardcore enthusiast.




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Quick FAQ

Q: How do I vote for Game Awards 2025? A: Go to TheGameAwards.com, sign in, and vote in all 27 categories. Voting ends Dec. 10 at 6pm PT.


Q: When are the Game Awards 2025? A: Thursday, December 11, 2025 at 4:30pm PT / 7:30pm ET from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Watch the official announcement.


Q: What are the Game of the Year nominees? A: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. See full nominees list.


Q: Where can I watch the Game Awards? A: YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, X (Twitter), and Amazon Prime Video (first time).


Q: Do fan votes matter? A: Yes! Fan votes count 10% of the final results, with the jury determining 90%. Vote now.




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