By Raj Team About The Game Awards 2025 | Published: December 13, 2025
The script for The Game Awards 2025 was supposed to be written in stone.
As thousands of industry professionals, celebrities, and fans filed into the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles last night, a palpable sense of inevitability filled the air. Many regarded this year as the “Year of Rockstar.” With the colossal shadow of Grand Theft Auto VI looming over the entertainment industry, and heavy hitters like Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding 2 dazzling critics, the “Game of the Year” category felt less like a competition and more like a coronation.
However, the forums had predicted it wrongly. Although betting markets priced it in, and fans stood ready to riot, the night took a different turn. The Game Awards 2025 didn’t just rewrite the script—it shredded it.
In a moment that fans will replay in YouTube compilations for decades, the Peacock Theater fell into a stunned silence. Then, the crowd erupted into confused, rapturous applause. The coveted Game of the Year trophy did not go to the open-world juggernaut. Nor did it go to the cinematic masterpiece.
Instead, it went to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
⚔️ The Game Awards 2025 Upset: David vs. Goliath
For those who haven’t followed the AA gaming scene closely, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a stylish, reactive turn-based RPG from Sandfall Interactive. Until recently, this French studio remained relatively unknown compared to the titans they faced at The Game Awards 2025.
To understand the magnitude of this upset, consider the numbers. Analysts estimate Grand Theft Auto VI to be the most expensive entertainment product in human history. It represents a simulation of life itself and stands as a technical marvel that pushes hardware to its breaking point.
In contrast, Clair Obscur offers a focused, artistic experience. It blends the classic turn-based combat of Final Fantasy with real-time reactive mechanics. It is not the biggest game, nor does it possess the largest map. But it has something else: Heart.
During the acceptance speech, the game’s Creative Director took the stage, visibly shaking as he clutched the winged statue.
“We didn’t think we’d even be nominated,” he admitted, wiping away a tear. “We are a small team with a big dream. We just wanted to make a game that reminded us why we fell in love with RPGs. To stand here, next to giants… this is for everyone who believes that creativity matters more than budget.”
📉 Why The Game Awards 2025 Voters Chose Innovation
This victory marks a historic shift in the event’s voting history. For years, critics argued that the voting body preferred “Movie Games”—massive, cinematic, third-person adventures with nine-figure budgets. Titles like The Last of Us, God of War, and Elden Ring were usually the safe bets.
By choosing Clair Obscur, the voters at The Game Awards 2025 sent a thunderous message to the industry: Innovation beats Scale.
While GTA VI is undeniably a masterpiece of engineering, some critics felt it offered “more of the same, but prettier.” Clair Obscur, on the other hand, felt distinct. It took a genre that major publishers declared “dead” (turn-based combat) and reinvented it for a modern audience.
However, Rockstar didn’t go home empty-handed. In a somewhat consolation prize moment, GTA VI swept the technical categories. Consequently, it won Best Audio Design, Best Technology, and Most Anticipated Game.
🕷️ Silksong Finally Appears at The Game Awards 2025
If the Game of the Year upset was the earthquake, the Best Action/Adventure category served as the aftershock. For five years, the gaming community communicated through clown emojis whenever Hollow Knight: Silksong was mentioned. The game had become a myth.
Last night, the myth walked on stage.
Not only did Team Cherry finally release the game earlier this year, but they also took home the trophy. They beat out massive IP like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The sheer volume of the scream from the audience when presenters announced Silksong was deafening. Therefore, it served as a validation for indie developers everywhere.
🏆 Full Winners List from The Game Awards 2025
It wasn’t just about the upsets. This year delivered a spread of winners that highlighted a healthy gaming ecosystem. Here is the comprehensive list of the night’s big winners:
Major Categories
- 👑 Game of the Year: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- 🎬 Best Game Direction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- 📖 Best Narrative: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- 🎨 Best Art Direction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- 🎭 Best Performance: Jennifer English (Clair Obscur)
- 🎵 Best Score & Music: Mick Gordon (DOOM: The Dark Ages)
- 🔊 Best Audio Design: Grand Theft Auto VI
Genre Awards
- ⚔️ Best Action Game: Hades II
- 🗺️ Best Action/Adventure: Hollow Knight: Silksong
- 🧙♂️ Best RPG: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- 👊 Best Fighting Game: Virtua Fighter 6
- ♟️ Best Sim/Strategy: Civilization VII
- 🌍 Best Multiplayer: Arc Raiders
Special Categories
- 🍄 Best Adaptation: The Last of Us: Season 2 (HBO)
- 💎 Best Indie Game: Hades II
- 📅 Most Anticipated Game: Grand Theft Auto VI
🚀 World Premieres & Future Teasers
Of course, Geoff Keighley didn’t let us leave without emptying our bank accounts for next year. Between The Game Awards 2025 announcements, the “World Premieres” set the stage for 2026.
The biggest gasp came from Capcom. After years of silence, they unveiled Resident Evil: Requiem. The trailer showed an older, grizzled Leon Kennedy in a snowy, open-world setting. Furthermore, we got our first look at Mass Effect: Epsilon, confirming that a new protagonist is taking the helm.
🔮 Conclusion: A New Era?
As the confetti settled on the stage and the developers of Clair Obscur posed for photos, one thing became clear: The definition of a “AAA” game is changing.
For a long time, we thought better graphics and bigger maps were the only way forward. But The Game Awards 2025 proved that players are hungry for style, mechanics, and new ideas. GTA VI will still sell 200 million copies. Nevertheless, it didn’t win the heart of the industry last night.