The 2025 Game Awards Game of the Year field brings together six nominees with sharply different identities: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. The lineup feels unusual less because one rule produced it than because these games sit side by side—and because the eligibility window remained open after an official nominee roundup appeared.
Who are the 2025 Game of the Year nominees?
The Game Awards’ official nominee page lists these six games for Game of the Year:
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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The Hunger Games (Book 1) | $9.44 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Ender's Game (The Ender Saga, 1) | $10.90 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day | $7.15 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Smirk & Dagger A Place for All My Books Board Game | $48.23 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Kenning 3 Pcs 6.5" / 8" Reading Music Gold Trophy Bulk with Base, Reading | $21.99 | Buy on Amazon |
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Hades II
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
The Game Awards’ nominee page is the authoritative roster. The names alone make this a notably varied group: familiar series entries share the field with games whose identities are less tied to an established franchise, while the genres and creative approaches differ widely.
Why does the field feel unusual?
A broad mix of identities
The six nominees do not read like a single obvious category of game. The list includes the latest Donkey Kong and Death Stranding entries, sequels to Hades, Hollow Knight, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and the distinct new property Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. That contrast between recognizable series and a less familiar name is part of what makes the group interesting to compare; it does not establish that franchise status or genre determined any nomination.
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The calendar was still in motion
Xbox Wire published its nominee roundup on November 17, 2025, four days before the eligibility cutoff stated in The Game Awards FAQ: Friday, November 21, 2025, at 9 p.m. PT. That timing gives the announcement period an unusual feel, but the dates do not show that the cutoff caused the final lineup.
How are nominees chosen, and what counts as eligible?
The Game Awards says nominees in most categories are selected by an international jury of more than 100 global media and influencer outlets. The FAQ also allows games released in earlier years to be considered when the jury believes new content, improvements, or service updates merit inclusion. In the FAQ’s words: “Games released in previous years are eligible in all award categories, so long as the jury feels their inclusion is merited due to new content, improvements or service updates.”
Rank #2
That rule makes the eligibility field broader than games first released during 2025. It does not, by itself, say that a particular nominee qualified through an update or that such a factor affected the outcome. The available official information establishes the rule and cutoff, not the nomination rationale for each game.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What makes this a useful year to compare?
The lineup invites comparisons across different dimensions rather than a simple contest between similar releases. Players can look at how each game relates to its series, how different creative identities share the same category, and how a release-year eligibility window can coexist with a rule for qualifying prior-year games. Those are ways to interpret the roster—not official explanations for why any title was selected.
Rank #3
So “weird” is best understood as a reaction to the combination of variety and timing. The official list is clear; the unusual quality is an editorial judgment about how these six nominees look together.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
