The Game Awards 2025 were… a lot. A massive indie sweep. Big-budget chaos. Surprise sequels. And yes, a ton of trailers to add to your “I swear I’ll play this” list.
If you didn’t have three hours to watch the show live, here’s the fast, Gameflip-style recap: who won, what got announced, and what you can actually play right now.
The Big Story: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Huge Night
Let’s start with the obvious headline: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 absolutely dominated the show.
The surreal, painterly RPG took home Game of the Year, plus a stack of other major awards, including:
Game of the Year
Best Game Direction
Best Narrative
Best Art Direction
Best RPG
Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie
On top of that, Jennifer English snagged Best Performance for her role, giving the game a rare mix of technical and emotional recognition.
For a title that blends French surrealism, turn-based combat, and heavy themes about fate and cycles… this is wild. It’s now the must-play “what’s all the fuss about?” game from this year’s show.
If you like:
Deep, character-driven RPGs
Gorgeous painterly visuals
“Weird but in a good way” storytelling
…this should probably jump to the top of your backlog.
Other Standout Winners You Should Have on Your Radar
Even with Expedition 33 sweeping, plenty of other games had their moment. Here are some of the highlights and why they matter.
Genre Heavy-Hitters
Hades II – Best Action Game
Supergiant’s follow-up to Hades continues to crush it, winning Best Action thanks to its slick combat and incredibly replayable runs.Hollow Knight: Silksong – Best Action/Adventure
Yes, the long-awaited Silksong is real, and yes, it walked away with a major award. Expect tight platforming, brutal-but-fair combat, and more atmospheric bug kingdoms than you’re emotionally ready for.Battlefield 6 – Best Audio Design
Whatever you think about modern shooters, Battlefield 6’s sound work is elite. From distant shelling to crackling gunfire, it’s basically a flex from the audio team.
Strategy, Family, and Sports
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles – Best Sim/Strategy
Tactical fans eating good. This win confirms that the return of Ivalice tactics isn’t just nostalgia—it’s genuinely sharp design.Donkey Kong Bananza – Best Family Game
DK’s latest outing grabbed the family award, which fits: lots of co-op chaos, platforming fun, and “just one more level” energy.Mario Kart World – Best Sports/Racing
It’s Mario Kart. It’s chaos. It’s multiplayer salt. And now it’s an award winner, again.
Live Service Legends
No Man’s Sky – Best Ongoing Game
From rocky launch to model redemption arc, No Man’s Sky continues its wild comeback story. Regular updates and community love earned it the ongoing crown this year.Baldur’s Gate 3 – Best Community Support
BG3 might be “last year’s” GOTY, but Larian’s constant patches and communication kept it in the spotlight and earned it this community-focused award.
Mobile, VR, and Esports
Umamusume: Pretty Derby – Best Mobile Game
Yes, the horse-girl training phenomenon took the mobile crown.The Midnight Walk – Best VR/AR
A more atmospheric, immersive VR experience stood out in a crowded field.Counter-Strike 2 – Best Esports Game
No surprises here: CS2 keeps the legacy alive and well on the competitive side.
And for the hype award:
Most Anticipated Game – Grand Theft Auto VI
Shocking absolutely no one.
Biggest World Premieres & Announcements
Now for the trailer flood. The Game Awards have basically become “E3 but in December,” and 2025 was no exception.
Here are some of the biggest reveals and why people are buzzing.
New Entries in Big Franchises
Resident Evil 9
Capcom dropped the next numbered entry with another moody, atmospheric trailer. Details are light, but the tone screams “slow-burn horror,” which has fans theorizing already.Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred Expansion
Blizzard unveiled the next major Diablo IV expansion, focused on Mephisto and the Paladin’s return. A new cinematic and gameplay slice showed off holy abilities and brutal new enemies.Tomb Raider: Catalyst
Lara’s back. The new trailer hinted at a more grounded yet still cinematic direction, with environmental puzzles and exploration front and center. A remaster bundle, Legacy of Atlantis, was also revealed for long-time fans.Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic
Not a straight remake, but a fresh RPG set in the Old Republic era, with a focus on player choice and branching storylines. For people who loved KOTOR’s vibe, this is one to watch closely.
New IPs Worth Following
Divinity: Echoes of Eternity (working title)
Larian showed its next fantasy RPG project. There’s not much concrete yet beyond a teaser, but after Baldur’s Gate 3, expectations are sky-high.Highguard
A new action-RPG with striking stylized visuals and large-scale battles. Think towering bosses and flashy abilities—it got a lot of “wait, what is this??” reactions in the best way.Mega Man: Dual Override
A modern spin on Mega Man with tag-team mechanics and a flashy art style. It looks like Capcom is finally ready to give the Blue Bomber a bigger stage again.
Remakes, Remasters, and Nostalgia Hits
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (3D remake)
One of the most iconic Metroidvanias ever is getting a full 3D reimagining. The trailer leaned hard into gothic atmosphere and updated combat, while promising to respect the original’s structure.Lego Batman Returns
A new Lego Batman game with co-op chaos, tons of playable characters, and that usual Lego humor. Easy crowd-pleaser energy.Total War: Warhammer 40,000
Creative Assembly finally answered a long-running fan dream: Warhammer 40K in Total War form. Expect massive battles, factions with wildly different playstyles, and a lot of laser fire.
Demos and “Play It Now” Moments
The best part of watching The Game Awards is when a trailer ends with those four magic words: “Demo available right now.”
Here are the big ones to keep an eye on:
Pragmata – Playable Demo Live
After years of delays and mystery, Capcom finally dropped a fresh look at Pragmata and launched a demo. It’s a sci-fi action game with heavy atmosphere and gravity-bending combat. If you’ve been curious since that first space suit teaser years ago, now you can finally try it.Diablo IV – Paladin Arrives with Lord of Hatred Tease
While it’s not a standalone demo, the new Paladin class went live alongside the expansion reveal. If you own Diablo IV, you can jump in and test holy builds right away while you wait for the full expansion.
Some other trailers mentioned betas and early access windows—so if something caught your eye, it’s worth checking its official page for sign-up links and test dates.
What to Play Next (Based on the Awards)
If you’re looking at this whole recap thinking “Okay, but what should I actually play?”, here’s a quick shortlist based on what stood out:
Want the full awards experience?
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for story, art, and RPG depth.
Love high-intensity action?
Hades II for fast roguelike runs.
Battlefield 6 if you want huge multiplayer battles with incredible sound design.
Prefer long-term “live” games?
No Man’s Sky for ongoing updates and chill exploration.
Baldur’s Gate 3 if you somehow missed it and want top-tier narrative plus strong post-launch support.
Looking ahead instead?
Keep your eye on Resident Evil 9, Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, Total War: Warhammer 40,000, and Divinity’s next project—these are likely to dominate future watchlists.
In short: The Game Awards 2025 weren’t just a victory lap for Clair Obscur—they were a snapshot of where gaming is headed next. Story-heavy indies, bold new IPs, big franchise swings, and a lot of cross-genre experiments.
Now you’ve got the overview. All that’s left is the fun part: deciding which of these games gets your time first.
