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Team Cherry did not definitively say it would skip The Game Awards, and the available reporting does not show that a possible absence was because the developers expected Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to win. In a reported interview, co-founder William Pellen said “Maybe not” when asked about attending and added, “We’re pretty busy.” Co-founder Ari Gibson separately said, “This year I think we’re safe,” while discussing whether the team needed to record an acceptance speech, then praised Expedition 33.
What Team Cherry said about attending
In Jason Schreier’s Bloomberg interview with Team Cherry co-founders Ari Gibson and William Pellen, Pellen’s answer to a question about attending The Game Awards was “Maybe not,” followed by “We’re pretty busy.” That is a qualified possibility, not a firm announcement that the developers would not attend. PC Gamer reported the exchange contemporaneously on November 28, 2025: PC Gamer’s account of the interview.
What Gibson meant by “safe”
Gibson said, “This year I think we’re safe,” in response to the prospect of recording an acceptance speech. He then called Expedition 33 “exceptional and broadly palatable.” The remarks convey his view of the other game’s chances, but they do not explicitly say that its likely victory was the reason Team Cherry might not attend. The available report supports two related comments in the same exchange—not the stronger causal claim in the original headline.
What happened at the 2025 Game Awards
The ceremony has since taken place. The Game Awards’ official 2025 Game of the Year nominee list included both Hollow Knight: Silksong and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The organization later named Expedition 33 the 2025 Game of the Year winner in its official winners announcement, which also says the game received six other awards.
#1 Best Overall
![Hollow Knight: Silksong Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51mOgOC8xEL._SL160_.jpg)
- Discover the fallen insect kingdom of Pharloom! Explore mossy grottos, gilded cities and misted moors as you ascend to the shining citadel at the top of the world.
- Engage in lethal acrobatic action! Wield a huge suite of deadly moves as you dance between foes in swift, beautiful combat.
- Craft powerful tools! Master an ever-expanding arsenal of weapons, traps, and mechanisms to vanquish your enemies and explore new heights.
- Solve shocking quests! Hunt down rare beasts and solve ancient mysteries to grant the wishes of the downtrodden and restore the kingdom’s hope.
- Face over 200 ferocious foes! Beasts and hunters, monsters and knights. Defeat them all with bravery and skill!
Did Team Cherry attend?
The sources cited here do not confirm whether Gibson, Pellen, or other Team Cherry representatives ultimately attended the ceremony. The pre-event answer “Maybe not” cannot settle what happened later. It is therefore accurate to say the developers discussed possibly not attending and Gibson expressed confidence about not needing an acceptance speech; it is not established here that they skipped the event.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the distinction matters
The original claim combines a tentative attendance response with Gibson’s separate prediction and praise. Those comments make the headline understandable, but they do not establish that confidence in Expedition 33 caused a decision to stay away. The later award result confirms that Expedition 33 won, while leaving Team Cherry’s attendance unresolved in the reporting cited above. Team Cherry’s official site identifies the studio as based in Adelaide, South Australia, but does not resolve the attendance question.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
![Hollow Knight - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51nXCF+sf5L._SL160_.jpg)
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
- Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward.
- Evolve with powerful new skills and abilities! Gain spells, strength and speed. Leap to new heights on ethereal wings. Dash forward in a blazing flash. Blast foes with fiery Soul!
- Equip Charms! Ancient relics that offer bizarre new powers and abilities. Choose your favorites and make your journey unique!
- An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation.
Rank #3
- Classic side-scrolling action, with all the modern trimmings.
- Tightly tuned 2D controls. Dodge, dash and slash your way through even the most deadly adversaries.
- Explore a vast interconnected world of forgotten highways, overgrown wilds and ruined cities.
- Forge your own path! The world of Hallownest is expansive and open. Choose which paths you take, which enemies you face and find your own way forward.
- Evolve with powerful new skills and abilities! Gain spells, strength and speed. Leap to new heights on ethereal wings. Dash forward in a blazing flash. Blast foes with fiery Soul!.Equip Charms! Ancient relics that offer bizarre new powers and abilities. Choose your favourites and make your journey unique!.An enormous cast of cute and creepy characters all brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animation..
Rank #2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong is the epic sequel to Hollow Knight, the award winning action-adventure.
- Journey to all-new lands, discover new powers, battle vast hordes of bugs and beasts and uncover secrets tied to your nature and your past.
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