The year of our Lord 2025 is on its way out. Though not the best period in human history, gamers certainly had a great time.
AA and indie titles dominated the industry, proving to billion-dollar corporate enterprises that no, money does not make the game, nor do people care enough about big-budget blockbusters to fork over extra cash for a poor product. In fact, 2025 proved that games are not a product at all, but works of art crafted with passion and care.
So, out of all the tremendous titles we've had this year, some certainly stood out the most. And we want to recognize that and appreciate the work that went into creating them. In light of that, we're doing our own game awards this year, highlighting the best titles that reshaped the industry.
Here are our nominees.
Destructoid's 2025 Best Games - the Nominees
For the awards, we've chosen eleven categories, nominating five games in each category. The winners will be announced tomorrow, including the Game of the Year winner. However, we wouldn't be who we are without you, our dear readers, so we'll give you the honors of selecting your own GOTY at the end of the article.
With that in mind, here are the games we felt left the strongest impression on 2025:
Destructoid's Game of the Year
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Hades 2
Best Indie Game
- Ball x Pit
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Dispatch
- Hades 2
- Megabonk
Best RPG
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Deltarune Chapter 3 & 4
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- The Outer Worlds 2
- Monster Hunter: Wilds
Best Narrative
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Dispatch
- Ghost of Yotei
- Silent Hill f
Best Multiplayer Game
- ARC Raiders
- Peak
- Battlefield 6
- Split Fiction
- Elden Ring: Nightreign
Best Live-Service Game
- ARC Raiders
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
- Marvel Rivals
- Destiny 2
- Fortnite
Best Acting Performance
- Jennifer English (as Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
- Ben Starr (as Verso in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
- Charlie Cox (as Gustave in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
- Lea Seydoux (as Fragile in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach)
- Konatsu Kato (as Hinako Shimizu in Silent Hill f)
Best Sports Game
- EA Sports FC 26
- Mario Kart World
- Football Manager 26
- Rematch
- Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road
Best Action Game
- Hades 2
- Split Fiction
- Elden Ring: Nightreign
- Metroid Prime 4
- Absolum
Best Fighting Game
- 2XKO
- Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection
- Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
- Capcom Fighting Collection 2
- Virtua Fighter 5: R.E.V.O.
Most Anticipated Game
- GTA 6
- Resident Evil: Requiem
- The Duskbloods
- Marvel's Wolverine
- REANIMAL
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leads the charge in the nominations, being present in three categories, as well as having a whopping three performances in the Best Acting Performance category. It's no wonder, considering it's one of the most acclaimed games of all time, having already swept up The Golden Joysticks. It's most likely it'll sweep up tomorrow's The Game Awards as well, setting a precedent for AA gaming.
Destructoid's Community Game of the Year
As promised, you, our dear readers, will have the opportunity to choose your own 2025 GOTY. You can vote for one of our own nominees shown in the GOTY category above, or write any game you found remarkable enough to be considered for this prestigious title.
The votes will be tallied by tomorrow evening, which is when we will publish both our own winners and the ultimate choice of our wonderful community.
Follow this link to go to the poll and let your voice be heard.
The post Some games made this year awesome, so here are our nominees for 2025’s Destructoid Awards appeared first on Destructoid.
