The Game Awards 2025 took place on December 11 and once again served as the industry’s year-end snapshot — part awards ceremony, part celebration, part statement about where games are heading next. Hosted by Geoff Keighley, the show honored creative achievement across genres while spotlighting the titles and studios that shaped the year in gaming.
This year’s ceremony was especially notable for one historic sweep, a strong showing from RPGs, and a mix of predictable wins and welcome surprises.
The Biggest Winner of the Night
No game came close to matching the impact of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The RPG dominated the ceremony and set a new record for most awards won by a single title at The Game Awards.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won:
- Game of the Year
- Best Direction
- Best Narrative
- Best Art Direction
- Best Original Score and Music
- Best RPG
- Best Independent Game
- Best Performance – Jennifer English
- Innovation in Accessibility
The sweep confirmed the game’s status as the defining RPG of 2025 and one of the most celebrated releases in the show’s history.
Major Category Winners
Beyond Clair Obscur, several high-profile games took home top honors across key categories.
Other notable winners included:
- Best Action Game – Hades II
- Best Action / Adventure – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Multiplayer – Arc Raiders
- Best Ongoing Game – No Man’s Sky
- Best Community Support – Baldur’s Gate 3
- Best Family Game – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Best Sports / Racing – Mario Kart World
- Best Adaptation – The Last of Us: Season 2
- Most Anticipated Game – Grand Theft Auto VI
These wins reflected a wide spread of genres, from indie-driven RPGs to long-running live-service titles and blockbuster franchises.
RPGs Had a Strong Year
RPGs were especially well represented in 2025. Alongside Clair Obscur’s sweep, Baldur’s Gate 3 continued its awards-season longevity with Best Community Support, while Hades II reinforced Supergiant Games’ reputation for genre-blending excellence.
The results highlighted a growing appetite for narrative-driven, systems-rich experiences — whether traditional role-playing games or hybrids that borrow from roguelikes and action genres.
Announcements and Show Moments
As expected, the ceremony wasn’t just about trophies. The show featured a steady stream of trailers, world premieres, and updates on upcoming projects set for 2026 and beyond. While no single reveal overshadowed the awards themselves, the overall lineup reinforced The Game Awards’ role as a major stage for future-facing announcements.
Celebrity appearances and developer speeches also played their usual role, but the night remained firmly centered on games rather than spectacle.
What The Results Say About 2025
The Game Awards 2025 painted a clear picture of the year in gaming:
- Story and art direction mattered more than ever.
- Independent and mid-scale projects competed directly with AAA releases.
- RPGs and long-term live games continued to dominate player engagement.
Most of all, the ceremony showed an industry increasingly willing to reward emotional impact, creative risk, and long-term community support alongside technical achievement.
As the industry heads into 2026, the winners of The Game Awards 2025 feel less like outliers and more like signposts — pointing toward a future where ambition and craft matter just as much as scale.
