The Game Awards 2025 Game of the Year (GOTY) nominations have been announced, and for the 11th consecutive year, no Xbox exclusive title made the cut. While two Xbox Game Pass titles, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Hollow Knight: Silksong, are nominated for GOTY, they are not Xbox first-party exclusives but third-party games available on the platform.
Major Xbox exclusives such as Avowed, South of Midnight, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and The Outer Worlds 2 missed out on the top award nomination despite some receiving nominations in other categories such as Best RPG, Best Narrative, or Best Action Adventure.
Xbox Representation in Other Awards
- Game of the Year Nominees: Two Xbox Game Pass day-one titles (non-exclusives) were nominated.
- Other Categories: Xbox first-party titles received multiple nominations across categories like Best RPG (Avowed, The Outer Worlds 2), Best Narrative, Best Action Adventure, and Best Performance.
- Community and Ongoing Support: Xbox games and studios also earned nominations in Best Ongoing Game and Best Community Support.
Why the Ongoing Snub?
Industry analysts and fans alike note that this 11-year streak without an Xbox-exclusive Game of the Year nomination highlights a persistent challenge for Microsoft’s first-party titles to achieve the same critical dominance as PlayStation exclusives or major multi-platform titles. Factors include release timing, genre preferences of voters, and the competitive strength of games from other publishers.
What This Means for Xbox Fans
While Xbox consoles continue to offer a broad range of exceptional games through Game Pass and partnerships, the lack of a nominated exclusive for GOTY reflects both opportunity and room for growth in Microsoft’s flagship franchises. The high number of nominations in other categories shows the quality and popularity of Xbox titles, just not in the most prestigious category.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Xbox titles were nominated for Game of the Year 2025?
No Xbox first-party exclusive was nominated for Game of the Year. However, two Xbox Game Pass titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Hollow Knight: Silksong made the list.
Are Xbox exclusives nominated in other award categories?
Yes, Xbox exclusives like Avowed, South of Midnight, and others have received nominations in Best RPG, Best Narrative, and other categories.
How long has this Xbox GOTY snub lasted?
The Xbox platform has not had a Game of the Year nominee from its first-party studios for 11 years as of 2025.
Does this affect Xbox Game Pass subscribers?
Not directly. Many critically acclaimed games available on Game Pass are nominated for awards, but these are often third-party titles, not Xbox exclusives.
What does this mean for future Xbox exclusives?
It signals the need for Microsoft to continue investing in and refining their exclusive franchises to gain recognition in the top award categories in the future.
Conclusion
The absence of Xbox exclusives from the Game of the Year nominations at The Game Awards 2025 continues a long-standing pattern, despite Microsoft’s strong showing in other categories and the prominence of Game Pass. Xbox fans may hope upcoming releases break this streak, but for now, the spotlight remains on third-party and multi-platform titles to win this prestigious accolade.