If you were planning to watch The Game Awards nomination livestream for the big reveal, someone just ruined the surprise. The six Game of the Year nominees for 2025 leaked online about 30 minutes before Geoff Keighley could officially announce them, and the gaming community immediately went into overdrive analyzing what might be the most interesting GOTY lineup in years.
Here’s what makes this leak particularly notable – half of the nominees are indie games. That’s never happened before in the 12-year history of The Game Awards.
How the Leak Happened
An account called evleaks posted what appeared to be an official Game Awards nominee graphic on X (formerly Twitter) showing all six GOTY contenders. The image used the same visual style that The Game Awards typically employs for their official announcements, which immediately sparked debate about its authenticity.
Some people thought it was a convincing fake designed to generate engagement right before the official reveal. Others believed it was legitimate because the timing and presentation felt too polished to be a last-minute hoax. As it turns out, the skeptics were wrong – when Geoff Keighley went live with the official announcement, the leaked list was 100 percent accurate.
These kinds of leaks aren’t entirely uncommon in the gaming industry, but they’re particularly frustrating for events like The Game Awards that build anticipation around their nomination reveals. Keighley and his team put significant effort into making these announcements feel special, and having the biggest category spoiled minutes before the stream undermines that experience.
The Six GOTY Nominees
Despite the premature leak, the actual list of nominees is worth discussing because it represents a significant shift in how The Game Awards jury evaluates games. Here are the six titles competing for Game of the Year 2025.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from Sandfall Interactive is the clear frontrunner. This turn-based RPG has captivated players with its stunning art direction, compelling narrative, and innovative combat system that blends traditional JRPG mechanics with active parrying elements. The game is set in an alternate Belle Époque France where a mysterious figure called the Painter kills everyone who reaches a certain age each year.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach from Kojima Productions brings Hideo Kojima back to his weird, wonderful world of deliveries, BBs, and existential dread. The sequel expands on everything that made the original divisive yet beloved, with even more celebrity cameos and mind-bending storytelling.
Donkey Kong Bananza from Nintendo proved that the big N still knows how to craft exceptional platformers. This new DK adventure returned to the level design philosophy that made the Donkey Kong Country series so beloved while adding fresh mechanics and gorgeous visuals.
Hades II from Supergiant Games somehow managed to follow up one of the most acclaimed roguelikes ever made without losing any of the magic. Players control Melinoë, sister of the first game’s protagonist Zagreus, as she fights her way through Greek mythology with new weapons, boons, and that signature Supergiant narrative depth.
Hollow Knight: Silksong from Team Cherry finally released after years of anticipation, and it was worth the wait. The sequel to one of the greatest Metroidvanias ever created takes players to a new kingdom as Hornet, offering expanded mobility, new abilities, and that same atmospheric exploration fans loved.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II from Warhorse Studios delivered a massive medieval RPG that somehow made eating soup and learning to read feel like compelling gameplay. The sequel improved on the original’s systems while maintaining its commitment to historical authenticity and immersive simulation.
Why Three Indies Is Historic
This is where the 2025 GOTY lineup gets really interesting. Three of those six nominees – Clair Obscur, Hades II, and Hollow Knight: Silksong – are independent games. That’s never happened before at The Game Awards.
Previous years have typically featured one, maybe two indie titles competing against AAA blockbusters with massive marketing budgets and development teams numbering in the hundreds. But 2025 represents a genuine shift in how the industry and critics view independent development.
These aren’t just token indie nominations either. Clair Obscur in particular is being talked about as the likely winner, which would make it the first indie game to take home GOTY since The Game Awards began in 2014. The game received 12 total nominations across all categories, breaking the record for most nominations in the show’s history.
This shift reflects broader changes in the gaming landscape. Tools and engines have become more accessible, allowing small teams to create games that rival AAA productions in quality. Distribution platforms like Steam, Epic Games Store, and console digital storefronts have democratized publishing. And audiences have become more willing to take chances on smaller titles when they offer unique experiences that massive studios won’t risk.
The Clair Obscur Phenomenon
Let’s talk more about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 because its nomination haul is genuinely unprecedented. Twelve nominations is not just a lot – it’s the most any game has ever received at The Game Awards across any year.
Those nominations span nearly every major category. Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, Best Score and Music, Best Audio Design, Best Independent Game, Best Debut Indie Game, and Best RPG all feature Clair Obscur. That’s already nine categories, so where are the other three?
Here’s where it gets wild – the game scored three nominations in the Best Performance category alone. Ben Starr, Charlie Cox, and Jennifer English all received individual nominations for their voice acting work in Clair Obscur. That’s half of the entire Best Performance category coming from a single game. Even Baldur’s Gate 3, which dominated The Game Awards 2024, didn’t manage that feat.
The success of Clair Obscur represents everything working right for an indie game. Strong art direction that makes it visually distinctive, innovative gameplay that respects player intelligence, a compelling story that takes risks, and performances that rival anything AAA studios produce. French developer Sandfall Interactive created something that punches well above its weight class.
What Got Snubbed
Of course, any list of nominees inevitably means worthy games get left out. The gaming community has already started debating what should have made the cut instead.
Blue Prince is getting mentioned frequently as a major snub. The stylish action game impressed critics and players alike with its creative combat system and striking visual presentation. Many expected it to at least compete in the indie categories, though it did receive nominations outside of GOTY.
Some fans are surprised not to see bigger AAA titles like the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows or other major releases. But the reality is that The Game Awards jury clearly favored games that offered something distinctive over safe sequels or established franchises playing it safe.
Sony Dominates the Publisher Count
While indie games made waves in the GOTY category, Sony Interactive Entertainment came out as the most nominated publisher overall with 19 nominations across all categories. That’s more than any other publisher at the 2025 awards.
Kepler Interactive, which publishes Clair Obscur, came in second with 13 nominations (mostly thanks to that one game’s dominance). Electronic Arts rounded out the top three with 10 nominations spread across their sports titles and other releases.
This publisher breakdown shows how the modern gaming landscape works. Sony still has massive resources and multiple high-profile releases generating nominations. But smaller publishers backing the right projects can compete by focusing on quality over quantity.
How Voting Works
If you’re wondering whether your opinion matters in who wins, the answer is yes, but only partly. The Game Awards uses a voting system where an international jury of media outlets and critics controls 90 percent of the vote, while public voting accounts for the remaining 10 percent.
Fan voting is already open on The Game Awards website, and you can cast your votes across all categories right now. Additionally, there’s a Players’ Voice Award that’s entirely determined by public voting, which opens on December 1st. This award lets the community directly choose their favorite game without jury influence.
So while the jury has the majority say in who takes home GOTY, a massive groundswell of public support could theoretically push a game over the edge if the jury vote is close. It’s unlikely to overcome a clear jury preference, but it’s not meaningless either.
What Happens Next
The Game Awards 2025 ceremony takes place on December 11th, which gives everyone about three weeks to debate who should win, complain about snubs, and get hyped for the inevitable new game announcements that come during the show.
Because let’s be honest – for many people, The Game Awards is more about the world premieres and trailers than the actual awards. Geoff Keighley has turned the event into gaming’s equivalent of the Super Bowl, where everyone tunes in for the commercials as much as the main event.
Expect major announcements for games coming in 2026 and beyond. Studios know they have a massive global audience watching, so they save their biggest reveals for this show. Whether it’s a new franchise announcement, a surprise release date, or just an extended look at anticipated titles, the trailers often overshadow the awards themselves.
FAQs
When were The Game Awards 2025 GOTY nominees leaked?
The nominees were leaked approximately 30 minutes before the official announcement on November 17, 2025. An account called evleaks posted what appeared to be an official nominee graphic on X (Twitter), which turned out to be completely accurate when Geoff Keighley made the official reveal.
What are the six GOTY nominees for The Game Awards 2025?
The 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.
Why is the 2025 GOTY lineup considered historic?
Three of the six nominees (Clair Obscur, Hades II, and Hollow Knight: Silksong) are indie games. This is the first time in The Game Awards’ 12-year history that half of the GOTY nominees have been independent titles rather than AAA blockbusters.
How many nominations did Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 receive?
Clair Obscur received 12 nominations total, which is the most nominations any single game has ever received in The Game Awards’ history. This includes nominations for GOTY, Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, and three separate Best Performance nominations.
When is The Game Awards 2025 ceremony?
The ceremony takes place on December 11, 2025. The event will be livestreamed globally with new game announcements, trailers, and the actual award presentations.
Can fans vote for GOTY?
Yes, but fan votes only count for 10 percent of the final decision. An international jury of media outlets and critics controls the other 90 percent. There’s also a separate Players’ Voice Award that’s entirely determined by public voting, which opens December 1st.
Which game is the frontrunner to win GOTY?
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is widely considered the frontrunner due to its record-breaking 12 nominations and critical acclaim. However, several other nominees have strong cases, particularly Hades II and Hollow Knight: Silksong from the indie scene.
What major games were snubbed from the GOTY category?
Blue Prince is frequently mentioned as a notable snub, along with various AAA titles that didn’t make the cut. However, many of these games still received nominations in other categories outside of the main GOTY award.
Conclusion
The leak might have spoiled the surprise, but it didn’t diminish what these nominations represent for the gaming industry. Having three indie games compete for Game of the Year alongside established AAA titles shows how much the landscape has evolved.
Whether you think Clair Obscur deserves its record-breaking nomination haul or believe another game should take the crown, the 2025 GOTY race is one of the most interesting in years. It’s not just the usual suspects of massive open-world games and cinematic action adventures. We’ve got turn-based RPGs, roguelikes, platformers, and Metroidvanias all competing at the highest level.
The ceremony on December 11th will settle the debate, though let’s be honest – the arguing will continue long after the winner is announced. That’s half the fun of The Game Awards anyway. Everyone has their favorites, everyone thinks something got snubbed, and everyone will be watching to see what surprises Geoff Keighley has up his sleeve for next year’s games.
If you want your voice heard, head to The Game Awards website and cast your votes. That 10 percent might not seem like much, but in a close race, it could make the difference. And when the Players’ Voice voting opens December 1st, you’ll get another chance to support your favorite game of the year without any jury interference.