The Game Awards 2025, Clair Obscur: Nominations & the biggest snubs & controversies

The Game Awards 2025, focusing on why Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominates the nominations — the biggest snubs & controversies 

What’s Going On: Clair Obscur Leads the Pack

1. 
   Historic Number of Nominations
   

   • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 received 12 nominations, more than any game in The Game Awards’ history. 

   • This includes major categories: Game of the Year, Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, Best Score & Music, Best Audio Design. 

   • It even has three separate acting performance noms (Ben Starr, Charlie Cox, Jennifer English), which is unusual for one game. 

2. Indie Success

   • Despite the massive nomination haul, Clair Obscur is developed by Sandfall Interactive, a relatively small indie studio. 

   • It’s also up in indie-friendly categories: Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie Game. 

   • This kind of indie sweep is rare — it’s not just a niche pick, it's being treated like a heavyweight.

3. Strong Publisher Backing

   • Its publisher, Kepler Interactive, is doing well too (Kepler is one of the more nominated publishers this year). 

   • At the same time, Sony Interactive Entertainment leads overall publisher nominations (19) this year. 

The Biggest Snubs & Controversies

While Clair Obscur is stealing the spotlight, not everyone is happy — here are some of the most-discussed snubs:

1. Ghost of Yōtei Missing from Game of the Year

   • Ghost of Yōtei got 8 nominations, tied for second-most after Clair Obscur. 

   • But despite that, it was not nominated for Game of the Year. 

   • For many, this feels like a major miss: a critically well-regarded PS5 exclusive isn’t in the top prize despite its other nominations.

2. 

   Blue Prince Overlooked for GOTY
   

   • Blue Prince, an indie with strong critical praise, was not included in the Game of the Year nominees. 

   • According to Screenrant, that's “unforgivable” for some — it’s seen as a deeply creative piece that didn’t get its deserved shot. 

   • It did receive nominations in other categories though (Best Independent Game, Best Debut Indie), but many feel one of those 6 GOTY slots should’ve gone to it. 

3. Elden Ring: Nightreign Snubbed from GOTY

   • Elden Ring: Nightreign, despite being part of a massive franchise, did not make the Game of the Year list. 

   • It is nominated for Best Multiplayer Game, but many feel its scale and impact in 2025 justified a GOTY nod. 

   • Some argue the departure from a traditional solo Elden Ring experience (Nightreign being more multiplayer-focused) may have hurt its chances.

4. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Movie) Snubbed for Best Adaptation

   • One of the most controversial omissions isn’t a game at all — it’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which didn’t get nominated in the Best Adaptation category. 

   • Critics are particularly upset because the adaptation was very well received. 

   • Instead, the list includes: A Minecraft Movie, Devil May Cry, The Last of Us: Season 2, Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, and Until Dawn. 

5. Dispatch Gets Overlooked

   • Dispatch, an episodic narrative game (which got a lot of praise for its story and performances), only got one nomination (Best Debut Indie) and didn’t get more love elsewhere. 

   • For fans, that’s a disappointment — many believed it deserved more recognition, given its recent critical acclaim. 

6. Warframe Missing Completely

   • According to community discussions, Warframe has no nominations in key categories like Best Ongoing Game or Community Support. 

   • For a long-running title with a dedicated player base, being entirely unrecognized is being called a snub by many fans. 

Why Are These Snubs Happening?

• Vote-Jury Dynamics: The Game Awards uses a jury of media outlets + public voting (jury is 90%, fans 10%).

• Tight GOTY Slots: Only six games made the Game of the Year list. With Clair Obscur taking one, plus other big hitters, that leaves little room.

• Genre & Style Bias: Some argue more “indie-y” or experimental games (like Blue Prince) are less likely to make GOTY, even if they’re artistically strong.

• Franchise Shifts: For Elden Ring Nightreign, its shift to a multiplayer structure may mean voters didn’t see it on par with solo epics.

Why Clair Obscur’s Dominance Matters

• It symbolizes a turning tide: a relatively small indie studio getting huge recognition is a big deal for the industry.

• It shows narrative-rich, art-driven games can compete with big-budget AAA titles for top awards.

• If it wins several of these, it could reset expectations for what “Game of the Year” looks like.