Gamers all over the world watch The Game Awards every year to see which releases receive the prestigious statuettes and see trailers and announcements that have become an essential part of the event.
“For some viewers, trailers are even more important than the awards. It’s kind of like the Super Bowl that some people follow only to see commercials without caring about the score. However, regarding TGA, winning the award is more than the prestige. It boosts sales. On GAMIVO, we observe each year that sales of award-winning titles are increasing right after the gala. It’s particularly visible when a relatively lesser-known game wins, like in 2021, when It Takes Two surprisingly beat the competition,” explains Andrzej Bazylczuk from GAMIVO, one of the leading platforms selling digital video games.
It proves that games compete for more than shiny statuettes and a brief on-stage time for their creators. The competition is intense this year, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Hades 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 vying for the Game of the Year title. Sandfall Interactive has the most reasons to celebrate so far, as its Clair Obscur received the all-time record number of 12 nominations. It also absolutely dominated the Best Performance category, getting three out of six nominations.
“All nominated games are outstanding, but if I had to predict which one will be crowned as the game of the year, I would pick Clair Obscur. The sheer number of nominations gives a notion of the significance of this game, but it doesn't tell the whole story. When it came out, all the other topics suddenly vanished. It hadn’t had a massive marketing campaign of AAA titles, but everyone was talking only about it, and everyone loved it,” stated Andrzej Bazylczuk.
Regardless of which game will get the prestigious title, the independent developers all around the world can already feel like the winners of this year's The Game Awards. Hades 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 compete for the Game of the Year trophy and were nominated in several categories. Moreover, other indie games fight in the Best VR/AR, Games for Impact, Innovation in Accessibility, Best Multiplayer, and Best Sim/Strategy categories.
“Previously, a single indie release nominated in the main category was a great deal. Now, half of the Game of the Year candidates can also be found in the Best Independent Game bracket. And with all certainty, it’s not due to the lack of outstanding AAA releases in 2025. For example, such blockbusters as Silent Hill f, Ghost of Yotei, and Doom: The Dark Ages were all praised but haven’t been nominated in the most prestigious category. It’s a clear message to the gamers that small developers can provide big games. And to small developers, that the industry appreciates them,” said the GAMIVO representative.
It also brings back excitement to the indie category. Last year, Balatro was the only indie title nominated in the main category, so the race for the Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie Game awards ended before it even began.
This year, competition seems pointless in some categories, too. For instance, a result other than Hades 2 becoming the best action game of 2026 will be a big surprise, while Donkey Kong Bananza is a heavy favorite in Best Family Game.
“Fortunately, in most categories, rivalry will be fierce, so I hope gamers who decide to watch the broadcast from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles live won’t be disappointed. I also count on some thrilling announcements. Who knows, maybe all the rumors will turn out to be true, and we’ll see the Half-Life 3 announcement”, concludes Andrzej Bazylczuk.
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