Game Awards 2025: Complete Winners List, Surprise Reveals, and How to Watch Live

What Is The Game Awards 2025? The Game Awards returns to Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater on 11 December 2025, celebrating the best video games released this year while debuting exclusive world-premiere trailers. Hosted by Geoff Keighley, the globally streamed show has become the industry’s equivalent of the Oscars, drawing more than 100 million livestream views in 2024 and expected to break its own record again. Complete Nominee Shortlist for Game of the Year 2025 The coveted GOTY field features an unprecedented 50/50 split between indie darlings and AAA blockbusters: • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 • Death Stranding 2: On the Beach • Donkey Kong Bananza • Hades II • Hollow Knight: Silksong • Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Why Clair Obscur Leads the Pack French studio Sandfall Interactive’s debut RPG took 13 nominations—the most in the show’s 12-year history—thanks to its painterly art style, branching narrative and three separate performance nods. Industry analysts place it as the statistical favourite, but voters could still swing toward Kojima Productions’ cinematic Death Stranding 2 or indie sensation Hades II, which dominated early-access buzz. Indies vs. Blockbusters: The Defining Trend of 2025 For the first time, independent games make up half of the GOTY slate, highlighting how smaller teams now compete head-to-head with nine-figure productions. Hollow Knight: Silksong and Hades II both entered on the strength of early critical acclaim and massive wish-lists, echoing 2023’s Baldur’s Gate 3 success story. Key Category Frontrunners • Best Game Direction: Ghost of Yōtei challenges Clair Obscur with its seamless open-world traversal. • Best Art Direction: Silent Hill f’s floral body-horror vies with Expedition 33’s Impressionist palette. • Best Performance: A-list actors Troy Baker, Charlie Cox and Ben Starr headline a stacked field. • Most Anticipated Game: Grand Theft Auto VI and Resident Evil Requiem dominate social chatter. How to Watch The Game Awards 2025 Live The ceremony streams free on YouTube, Twitch, X (Twitter) and, for the first time, Amazon Prime Video. Pre-show coverage starts at 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET, with interactive Twitch Drops and a Fortnite voting hub already live. World Premieres and Surprise Reveals Expect first gameplay from Tomb Raider’s next chapter, a Lego Batman revival, and PlayStation’s mysterious sci-fi epic Saros. Rumoured show-stoppers include Phantom Blade Zero’s release-date trailer and a tease of Valve’s long-dormant Half-Life 3 project. Why “Game Awards Games” Is Spiking on Search Right Now Google searches for “game awards games,” “Game Awards 2025 nominees” and “GOTY predictions” surged 400 % this week as players look for voting links, streaming times and betting odds. Publishers are capitalising with timed demos, while retailers have launched flash sales on nominated titles to ride the SEO wave. Frequently Asked Questions Q: When do winners get announced? A: All 30+ categories—including the fully fan-voted Players’ Voice—are revealed live on 11 December. Q: Can I still vote? A: Public voting on the official site and Discord closes 10 December at 6 p.m. PT. Q: Where can I watch in 4K? A: The YouTube and Twitch feeds offer 4K HDR; Prime Video carries the show in 4K with Dolby Vision. Bottom Line Whether you’re chasing Twitch Drops, cheering indie breakthroughs or waiting for that next big reveal, The Game Awards 2025 is the year’s must-watch event for gamers. Tune in live, cast your vote and see which titles walk away with gaming’s most-coveted winged trophies.