Confession: I love The Game Awards. Sure, there’s a lot of ads and filler, but it’s just a lot of fun to see what’s out there and what’s coming soon to our consoles. Video games have progressed rapidly in the last 20 years, and in my opinion, many achieve a truly cinematic experience through their worlds, story-telling and unforgettable characters.
This year is shaping up to be a really solid year for the Game Awards. We’ve got some incredible games in the running, and the voting page crashed constantly when the line up was revealed. Having been a long time fan of the awards show and a long time gamer, I feel pretty confident in my picks but obviously I’m not going to discuss every category here. Let me know your thoughts though, especially if you’re feeling particularly confident!
Best Adaptation
Prediction: A Minecraft Movie
If there were any justice in this world, Devil May Cry would be a top pick for this one. Alas, we live in a cruel and terrible world where the children fill TikTok with the “chicken jockey” scene. Until Dawn, while it had potential, chose to completely abandon its source material and was basically dead on arrival. I won’t even get into The Last of Us season 2 but it’s not going to be in the running for reasons that are obvious if you’ve seen it. I feel confident on this one because all of these awards rely on fan votes, and no one is more online these days than the young.
Best Narrative
Prediction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33/Silent Hill F
Just let me pick two for this one please! This category is stacked this year (as many are), but I’m going based on how many people I’ve seen online and in-person simply raving about these stories. My copy of Silent Hill F is still on the way, but I’m familiar with Ryukishi07’s writing and dude is just a genius when it comes to horror. As will become a trend on this list however, Clair Obscur is a game that does just about everything shockingly well, and the story is no exception. It’s definitely a game I’ll revisit again and again, and I’m sure other players feel the same way. While Yotei, Death Stranding 2 and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 all deserve the nomination, one of these two will almost definitely take the win.
Best Score/Music
Prediction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
I really thought I was going to put Silksong here, but to be honest, I cannot recall a single song from that game. By comparison, I’ve been humming the melodies from Clair Obscur for months and every time I hear a piece from that game, I still get chills. Again, it’s got stiff competition (particularly from Hades 2) but I still think this one will pull it out in the end. It’s been a frontrunner since they featured a performance from the soundtrack at Summer Game Fest and it’s only gotten more popular since then. It’s also already won at the World Soundtrack Awards and though it was snubbed at the Grammys, I think at the Game Awards, there will be no contest.
Debut Indie Game
Prediction: Blue Prince
I was tempted to select Clair Obscur here too, but Blue Prince has a truly large fanbase. It’s not a surprise after playing the game, and seeing how fresh, inventive and interesting the story and mechanics are. I really have trouble comparing it to anything else, as it is a point-and-click puzzle game but the gameplay feels so much more in-depth. Many streamers have been playing this one all year, and looking at how well indie darling Balatro did at the previous Game Awards, I think it could pull off the win here.
Game of the Year
Prediction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
I feel more confident about this prediction than any of the others by far, and it’s mainly from the experience of playing this game. The unique combination of souls-like mechanics in turn-based combat isn’t new, but it feels completely original. The setting and world are breathtaking to look at, and while the creators could have skimped on the story or characters to simply let the player bask in this open world, they don’t. The story is akin to a novel by Victor Hugo or Alexandre Dumas, and with great performances particularly by Jennifer English, Charlie Cox, and Ben Starr, it’s just hard to see anything else even coming close. While I’d certainly concede defeat to any of the nominees (they’re all solid), I don’t think there’s any chance Clair Obscur doesn’t take home Game of the Year.
You can watch the Game Awards live on YouTube on December 11th, 2025. Do you disagree with any of my predictions? Any categories I didn’t cover that you have your own predictions for? Let me know in the comments!