Drumroll, please! The crystal ball of gaming has spoken, and it’s whispering about a certain roguelike sequel stealing the spotlight at The Game Awards 2025—if the frenzy of voting hilariously aligns with the aggregated reviews on the illustrious site of Metacritic. Spoiler alert: it might just be the sassy underworld of Hades 2.
The Nominees Are In: It’s a Battle Royale!
The nominees for The Game Awards 2025 strolled into the spotlight with all the subtlety of a marching band. And guess what? Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is flexing its indie muscles with an impressive 12 nominations, aiming for more bling than a toddler with a fistful of candy. Not far behind, the PlayStation heavyweights Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Ghost of Yotei are showcasing their eight nominations each, desperately hoping to ride the coattails of Clair Obscur.
History’s Got Game—Literally
Now, let’s get into some history with a sprinkle of sarcasm. If the patterns of yesteryears provide any insight (and they usually do, because let’s face it, history loves a good rerun), the highest-rated nominee on Metacritic has waltzed away with Game of the Year for the last five years. One can almost hear the cheering crowds every winter as the big results roll in!
In fact, in six out of the last eight years, history has patted itself on the back by seeing the highest-rated contender take the gilded trophy home. For those with short memory spans, the last time this didn’t happen was way back in 2019, when Sekiro pounced like a cat on a laser pointer, beating out Resident Evil 2. And remember 2018? God of War sashayed past Red Dead Redemption 2, claiming the ultimate title like a proud peacock.
Metacritic’s Fickle Friendships
When dissecting the skeletons of success, it appears the top-rated nominees on Metacritic snagged wins in about half of The Game Awards categories over the past two years—while leaving most technical awards in the dust, as if they were just not cool enough.
And the (Potential) Awards Go To…
The Game Awards 2025 Winners (if they were blindly decided by Metacritic)
- Game of the Year – Hades 2
- Best Independent Game – Blue Prince or Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Debut Indie Game – Blue Prince or Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Action Game – Hades 2
- Best Action / Adventure Game – Split Fiction
- Best RPG – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Fighting Game – Mortal Kombat: Legacy Collection
- Best Family Game – Split Fiction or Donkey Kong Bananza
- Best Sim / Strategy Game – Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles
- Best Sports / Racing Game – Mario Kart World
- Best Multiplayer Game – Split Fiction
- Best Mobile Game – Umamusume: Pretty Derby
- Best VR / AR Game – Arken Age
- Best Narrative – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Art Direction – Hades 2
- Best Adaptation – The Last of Us: Season 2
Get Ready for the Drama!
The Game Awards winners are selected through a complicated and sophisticated formula that involves a jury of media publications (90%) and a sprinkle of public fan voting (10%). Because nothing says “credibility” like throwing in a fan vote!
For those keeping track, Metacritic, launched way back in 1999, asserts it collects reviews from only “the world’s most respected critics.” And so far in 2025, it seems that Hades 2 is strutting its stuff with a score of 95, making it the tenure champion against Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Blue Prince, who are clinging to their 92s. A very competitive family reunion, wouldn’t one say?
The Grand Showcase Approaches
Mark those calendars—The Game Awards will illuminate the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California, live on Thursday, December 11, 2025. It’s set to be an evening brimming with new game reveals and some melodious strains courtesy of The Game Awards Orchestra. Who could ask for anything more? Stay tuned, or miss out on the glitter and glam of pixelated fame!
