Valve has not released the official nominee list for The Steam Awards 2025 yet, so there is currently no confirmed breakdown of which games will appear in each category. For now, we only have access to the full list of categories, the rules for submitting nominations, and the timeline Valve has shared for when the shortlist will go public.
Once Valve finishes collecting and sorting through community nominations, the company will announce the final list of contenders selected for each award. As soon as that information becomes available, the complete set of finalists will be added here with all confirmed details.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Steam Awards 2025.
All Steam Awards 2025 categories
For 2025, Valve has outlined eleven categories that span everything from major new launches to long-supported legacy titles, along with more specialized experiences designed for both PC and Steam Deck players. Here’s the full list of all the categories:
- Game of the Year
- VR Game of the Year
- Labor of Love
- Best Game on Steam Deck
- Better With Friends
- Best Game You Suck At
- Outstanding Visual Style
- Best Soundtrack
- Most Innovative Gameplay
- Outstanding Story-Rich Game
How does the nomination system work for Steam Awards?
The nomination system remains entirely community-driven, giving players full freedom to decide which games deserve recognition. Steam’s nomination page explains that almost any game released on Steam since the conclusion of last year’s Autumn Sale is eligible for nomination, giving you a wide window of titles to choose from.
The only exception is the Labor of Love category, which is meant for games that have been out for a while but are still getting new content, patches, and attention from the devs. Instead of picking from a curated shortlist, you can search for any eligible game on the platform and submit your nominations directly, shaping the award slate through community participation.
When will the Steam Awards 2025 nominees be revealed?
Valve plans to unveil the full nominee list for every category alongside the launch of the Steam Winter Sale on Dec. 18, where it will appear on the dedicated Steam Awards page. When the shortlist goes live, a new round of voting will open so players can decide the winners from the selected finalists.
The results are scheduled to be revealed on Jan. 3, 2026, at 10am PT, closing out the event with the announcement of each category’s top game. We will update this page as soon as Valve publishes the complete nominee lineup.
