The Magical Night of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
The Game Awards are no longer just an awards ceremony. They have become the video game industry’s premier global stage, where celebration, creative authorship, and spectacle coexist – if not always comfortably – under the guidance of Geoff Keighley. The 2025 edition once again underscored this hybrid identity, with an expansive runtime, a flood of announcements, and an artistic vision increasingly aware of its own cultural and media impact.
In this special feature, we take an in-depth look back at the event, revisiting every announcement, every world premiere, and every award winner to provide a complete and detailed account. For readers who wish to experience the show in its entirety and fully grasp the scope and nuances of the night, the full broadcast is available at the link below.
The Pre-Show: A Creative Laboratory and the First Act of the Spectacle
Long regarded as little more than a warm-up to the main ceremony, The Game Awards pre-show has steadily grown into a meaningful part of the event in its own right. No longer confined to the role of an introductory segment, it has emerged as a genuine creative laboratory – one in which experimentation, calculated risk-taking, and unconventional announcements are given room to flourish. In recent years, the pre-show has increasingly functioned as a proving ground for new ideas, formats, and emerging projects, frequently delivering moments of surprise and originality that rival – and, at times, surpass – those of the main presentation.
The Free Shepherd
The evening opened with The Free Shepherd, a project that fully embraces the principles of contemplative game design. Players take on the role of a sheepdog, guiding a flock through stark yet evocative natural landscapes. The experience unfolds at a deliberately unhurried pace and avoids explicit violence, instead emphasizing observation and the player’s relationship with space, rhythm, and time. The project clearly reflects the sensibilities of Europe’s more introspective independent development scene and aligns with the growing – though still niche – trend of so-called “gentle” games within the broader market. The Free Shepherd is currently scheduled for release in 2027.
Decrepit
Next up is Decrepit, a first-person RPG set within the decaying walls of a medieval castle. The game revolves around tactile melee combat, intricate environmental puzzles, and a deliberately oppressive atmosphere, all brought to life through a stark, unsettling visual style. What immediately stands out is the careful attention to combat and spatial dynamics: the weight of each strike, the palpable sense of impact, and the tactical use of the environment all reflect a design philosophy that could allow Decrepit to carve out a distinctive identity in the increasingly crowded soulslike genre.
AUDIOMECH: Your Music Transformed World
From the creators of AudioSurf comes AUDIOMECH, a 2D shooter-platformer that turns your music into dynamic, procedurally generated levels. At its heart lies synesthesia: rhythm, movement, and responsiveness merge into a single, immersive gameplay language. Its deliberately aggressive aesthetic and punishing difficulty place it firmly in niche territory, yet those very qualities could see it become a cult favorite among genre enthusiasts and players seeking uncompromising, rhythm-driven challenges.
Pragmata
Capcom has finally unveiled more about Pragmata, confirming a 24 April 2026 release, including a version for Switch 2. The trailer focuses on the intimate bond between the protagonist and a mysterious young girl who accompanies him, hinting at an emotionally charged narrative intertwined with hacking mechanics, armed combat, and intricate puzzles. A playable demo is already available on Steam, providing players with an early, hands-on preview of the Japanese studio’s ambitious new project.
Solasta 2
Kepler Interactive has unveiled Solasta 2, an ambitious isometric RPG that draws inspiration from classics like Baldur’s Gate and Dragon Age. The game features a branching narrative in which player choices shape both the main story and the fates of its diverse cast. Solasta 2 will enter early access on PC starting March 12.
TankRat
With TankRat, Kepler takes a bold new direction, delivering a multiplayer action game built around armored vehicle combat. Unlike traditional character-driven titles, the vehicle itself drives the experience, shaping tactics, strategy, and every player decision. Each maneuver, upgrade, and choice revolves around the vehicle’s capabilities, making it both the player’s avatar and the engine of the action. Simple in concept yet brimming with potential, TankRat aims to carve out a distinctive space in the increasingly crowded multiplayer landscape. The game is scheduled for release in spring 2026.
Bradley The Badger
The debut from Day 4 Night – a partially Italian studio founded by former Ubisoft Milan veterans – unveils a bold, unconventional vision in its TGA 2025 trailer. Bradley The Badger is a 3D action game defined by visual excess and stylistic hybridity, featuring a hypersaturated palette where violent color schemes, diverse artistic styles, and an expansive range of pop-culture references collide seamlessly without ever feeling superficial.
The protagonist – an oversized, anthropomorphic badger that upends traditional heroic archetypes – navigates a world that unfolds like a constantly shifting collage. Zombie-infested wastelands give way to neon-lit cyberpunk cities, which gradually dissolve into hallucinatory, distorted landscapes. The game deliberately favors a fragmentary, dissonant structure over conventional coherence, persistently challenging the player’s perception.
Yet Bradley The Badger is more than a stylistic experiment. Beneath its playful, ironic surface lies a subtle psychological unease. A striking example is the final live-action sequence, which interrupts gameplay, breaks the fourth wall, and evokes an almost Lynchian sense of estrangement – hinting at a darker, more ambiguous narrative core beneath the exuberant visuals.
On the gameplay side, Bradley The Badger combines 3D platforming, kinetic combat, and environmental puzzles, alternating moments of tension and discovery in a deliberately irregular rhythm. Its segmented, themed areas reflect a level design philosophy focused on continuously refreshing the player’s experience, avoiding repetition, and fostering ongoing skill reassessment.
Stupid Never Dies
Closing the pre-show is Stupid Never Dies, a punk-infused 3D action game that wears excess as its defining trait. Aggressive color palettes, explosive combat, and a relentless sonic montage combine to create what the game seems to frame as a “poetics of chaos,” where bold design flourishes, pyrotechnic effects, and breathtaking acrobatics collide in a frenzied rhythm. The focus is less on technical precision than on delivering a visceral, emotional punch. Stupid Never Dies is scheduled for release in 2026.
The Main Event: World Premieres and Highlights
And now, game by game, the world premieres: a wave of announcements and new titles that set the evening’s pace and outlined the roadmap for the next two years of gaming. From long-running franchises reimagined for a new era to ambitious, auteur-driven projects, and from standout indie gems to blockbuster hits, here’s everything you may have missed during the show.
Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic
The evening’s first major world premiere transports viewers to a frozen, desolate corner of the Old Republic – an era defined by political intrigue and morally complex dilemmas. At the creative helm is Casey Hudson (Mass Effect), the renowned BioWare veteran whose work has shaped modern RPG design. The trailer hints at an ambition to merge expansive operational scope – vertiginous starfighter dogfights and striking vistas – with the narrative depth of a mature role-playing game.
The real challenge will be balancing the franchise’s monumental legacy and high fan expectations with meaningful innovation. Fate of the Old Republic could mark a turning point for the series if it succeeds in translating the saga’s epic scope into genuine player agency, with mechanics that give real weight and consequence to every moral choice.
Divinity
Larian Studios’ latest project opens like a waking nightmare: a man chained to a cross, a frenzied crowd, and monstrous forms erupting from his body, manifesting collective horror. Divinity is no longer just a tactical RPG – it is a ritualistic, almost poetic experience, challenging players to confront human fragility and the darker currents of society.
The game immerses players in a world where beauty and horror coexist in delicate tension; every environment resonates with symbolism, and the lore unfolds with painstaking depth. Moral choices are not simple narrative switches but carry real consequence, reverberating throughout the story and transforming every decision into an act of ethical responsibility. By intertwining strategy, conscience, and aesthetics, Divinity engages both intellect and emotion, delivering an experience that challenges the mind as much as it stirs the soul.
4 Loop
Bad Robot and J.J. Abrams take the stage with 4 Loop, a cooperative experience that blends Left 4 Dead-style gameplay with a loop-based structure: each run feeds into the next, transforming repetition into both narrative progression and strategic growth. The central question is whether Abrams’ cinematic auteur vision can translate into gameplay that sustains long-term engagement, balancing dramatic set pieces with systems that genuinely reward teamwork and replayability.
Coven of the Chicken Foot
A dark fairy tale brought to life: an old woman navigating a forest that seems alive – or perhaps hostile – beneath its surface. Coven of the Chicken Foot uses the stillness of rural life as a lens to reveal the grotesque, with its atmosphere and interpretive space emerging as the project’s greatest strengths.
The game revolves around environmental puzzles and encounters with morally ambiguous figures; rather than conventional heroism, the narrative is driven by moral survival, judgment, and the weight of each choice. This approach is particularly compelling because it emphasizes emergent storytelling and tonal subtlety – deciding when to reveal and when to suggest – imbuing every action with genuine ethical and narrative consequence.
Ontos
Developed in partnership by Kepler Interactive and Frictional Games, Ontos is a first-person action game that builds on SOMA’s exploration of space and existential unease, translating these themes into a technologically advanced dystopian world. The game is clearly aimed at players drawn to psychological tension and environmental problem-solving within oppressive, immersive settings – where technology serves not merely as atmosphere, but as a central narrative driver.
The key challenge for the developers will be balancing action with introspection, maintaining sustained unease and narrative tension while staying true to Frictional’s signature design philosophy: deliberate pacing, obsessive attention to detail, and a profoundly unsettling construction of meaning.
Resident Evil Requiem
After months of speculation, Resident Evil: Requiem returns with a trailer confirming the return of franchise icon Leon S. Kennedy, alongside FBI agent Grace Ashcroft, whose investigation leads her deep into the ruins of Raccoon City.
The narrative unfolds along two complementary axes, each defined by its own gameplay style and thematic focus. Grace’s segments deliver tense, introspective survival horror, emphasizing vulnerability, precise pacing, and environments that unsettle through what they conceal rather than reveal. Leon’s sequences prioritize fast-paced action, reflecting a character hardened by years of confronting terror firsthand. This deliberate contrast is more than a matter of pacing – it is a purposeful design choice, meticulously crafted to modulate tension and deepen the emotional resonance of the experience.
Space, sound, and lighting work together to sustain a pervasive sense of oppression, transforming exploration into an exercise in latent anxiety and psychological tension. Meanwhile, the Raccoon City incident – the cornerstone of the saga – resurfaces not as a distant memory but as a persistent trauma, an archive of guilt, secrets, and horrors that manifest in new, insidious ways. Umbrella transcends the role of a conventional antagonist, embodying systemic, scientific malevolence that is disturbingly human in its arrogance, yet terrifyingly resilient, capable of surviving even its own catastrophic failures.
Leon’s role transcends mere nostalgia, casting him as an archetypal witness to a fallen world, tasked with confronting both its ruins and its hidden truths. His experience stands in stark contrast to Grace’s fragility and sensitivity, enriching the narrative’s emotional depth and highlighting the subtle interplay between experience and innocence, action and reflection, and strength and vulnerability.
Resident Evil: Requiem is scheduled for release on February 27, 2026.
Order of the Sinking Star
Jonathan Blow, creator of Braid and The Witness, returns with Order of the Sinking Star, a project that reimagines video games as exercises in pure thought. Set in a world of intricately interwoven, meticulously crafted puzzles, the game demands careful observation, patience, and lateral thinking, placing players at the center of complex systems that test perception, skill, and intellect. This is far from conventional entertainment – it invites players to experience games as a space for reflection, contemplation, and intellectual discovery. The key question is whether Blow can push the boundaries of his conceptual language while retaining the clarity, elegance, and originality that defined his previous works.
Exodus
Wizards of the Coast made its mark at The Game Awards with Exodus, an action RPG set in a future of striking contrasts: lush, untamed planets, exotic biomes, hybrid creatures, and a complex cast whose alliances and rivalries reflect the intricacies of the world itself. The game seeks to achieve two ambitious goals simultaneously: expansive, immersive worldbuilding and a combat system that is both visually spectacular and tactically deep.
What makes Exodus particularly compelling is its translation of WotC’s transmedia storytelling into an interactive medium – a vast, imaginative universe and symbolic network that opens up new narrative possibilities. The familiar risk, however, is overloading gameplay with excessive lore, which can undermine both clarity and pacing. The true challenge for the developers will be distilling this richness into coherent systems – from progression and build balance to equipment variety and encounter design – rewarding both exploration and mastery without sacrificing accessibility or momentum.
Warlock: Dungeons and Dragons
Set in the sprawling universe of Dungeons & Dragons, Warlock took the stage at The Game Awards 2025 with early materials that showcase its ambitious visual and conceptual design: menacing creatures, intricately detailed environments, and a fantasy aesthetic crafted to evoke the spirit of the original rulebooks. For now, the game remains more promise than reality. With gameplay footage still limited, the upcoming summer showcase will be the first true test of whether the studio can turn its ambitious vision into a cohesive, engaging, and fully realized gameplay experience.
Screamer
The second Italian title to make waves at The Game Awards, Screamer is a racing game where speed, visual identity, and narrative ambition converge into a clearly defined creative vision. Its circuits – from neon-soaked city streets to towering, futuristic tracks – are designed not merely as competitive arenas, but as carefully structured spaces where tension, rivalry, and strategic decision-making shape the racing experience, elevating each race beyond pure performance.
From a gameplay perspective, Screamer aims to achieve a careful balance between aesthetics and mechanics. Progression systems, vehicle upgrades, and driver interactions are designed to add strategic depth without compromising the adrenaline-fueled pace that defines the genre. The developers’ main challenge will be harmonizing visual flair, narrative intensity, and driving feel, ensuring that no single element overwhelms the others or undermines the core racing experience.
Screamer is set to release on March 26, 2026.
Control Resonant
Remedy Entertainment revisits its paranormal universe with Control: Resonant, a sequel that deliberately sidesteps straightforward narrative continuation in favor of a more considered interrogation of the original game’s ideas and systems. Rather than simply broadening its scope, Control allows its world to destabilize. Space fractures, orientation gives way, and the architectural surrealism once confined to the Oldest House extends into broader, more volatile environments, where reality itself appears to exist under constant strain.
The introduction of a more physical, overtly brutal primary weapon – a hammer that sits alongside and subtly reframes traditional gunplay – pushes combat toward greater immediacy and impact. Encounters feel heavier and more tactile, with an occasionally ritualistic edge. The design intent is a clear recalibration of action, emphasizing weight and physicality without abandoning the layered paranormal abilities central to the series. The result is a tighter balance between moment-to-moment force and systemic control, reinforcing player agency while preserving combat flow.
From a narrative standpoint, Resonant pushes Remedy’s exploration of identity, power, and forbidden knowledge further than ever. Tension no longer arises solely from external threats, but from the slow erosion of certainty itself. The world bends, fractures, and reshapes itself in response to the player’s actions, turning every corridor, room, and space into a tangible expression of the conflict between order and chaos.
Gang of Dragon
Nagoshi Studio, led by Toshihiro Nagoshi – the visionary behind the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series – returns with Gang of Dragon, an action-adventure that seeks to expand and redefine the Japanese urban crime genre through a darker, more cinematic lens. Set in Tokyo’s real-life Kabukicho district, long the inspiration for the fictional Kamurocho of the Yakuza saga, the game follows Shin Ji-seong, a charismatic high-ranking member of a Korean crime syndicate, brought to life by actor Ma Dong-seok (Don Lee).
The game blends choreographed hand-to-hand combat, strategic firearm use, and high-octane vehicle sequences offering a broader, more layered gameplay experience than previous entries. Kabukicho itself comes alive as a dynamic stage of social tensions, rivalries, and shifting alliances – a meticulously crafted urban microcosm where every set piece is crafted to resonate visually and emotionally. The game currently has no confirmed release date.
Street Fighter: The Movie
Street Fighter: The Movie brings the iconic 1990s arcade universe to the big screen with striking visual fidelity and stylistic authenticity. Directed by Kitao Sakurai and produced by Legendary Pictures in partnership with Capcom, the film is set in 1993 and follows Ryu and Ken Masters as they are drawn into a new World Warrior Tournament, uncovering dark and intricate conspiracies tied to their past. The film is scheduled for release on October 16, 2026.
LEGO Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight marks TT Games’ triumphant return to the spotlight at The Game Awards 2025. More than a simple celebration of the Dark Knight in “brick” form, the game ambitiously reimagines Batman’s entire mythos. Drawing on decades of transmedia storytelling – spanning comics, films, TV series, and previous games – it brings together the defining moments that have shaped the hero into a cohesive, layered, and immersive world.
The game aims to capture both Batman’s psychological depth and his epic iconography, without sacrificing the humor, charm, and accessible gameplay that have made the LEGO franchise a fan favorite.
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is scheduled for release on May 29, 2026.
Tomb Raider: Catalyst
Crystal Dynamics took the stage at The Game Awards 2025 to reveal Tomb Raider: Catalyst, the latest installment in the franchise and a direct continuation of Tomb Raider: Underworld. Set in northern India, the game plunges Lara Croft into a region ravaged by a mysterious mythological cataclysm, whose aftermath has unearthed long-forgotten ruins, awakened ancient guardians, and sparked a ruthless race for the secrets of the past among rival treasure hunters.
This time, Lara is no longer the young, untested archaeologist of earlier adventures. Tomb Raider: Catalyst follows a seasoned, self-aware Lara Croft, shaped by experience and keenly conscious of the consequences of her choices – decisions that will determine not only her survival, but the very purpose of her mission.
Tomb Raider: Catalyst is scheduled for release in 2027.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis
Alongside Tomb Raider: Catalyst, Crystal Dynamics has announced Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a full remake of the franchise’s original 1996 title. Developed in partnership with Flying Wild Hog and Amazon Game Studios, the game aims to reintroduce Lara Croft’s debut adventure to a contemporary audience, preserving its iconic sense of mystery while reimagining its structure, pacing, and presentation through the advanced capabilities of Unreal Engine 5.
Players will journey through some of the franchise’s most iconic locations – from the dense, untamed jungles of Peru to the ancient ruins of Greece, across the scorching deserts of Egypt, and finally to a Mediterranean island poised between history and legend. Along the way, they will face intricate environmental puzzles, deadly traps, and hostile creatures, all while pursuing the fragments of the Scion, the artifact that serves as the narrative foundation of the original game.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is set to launch in 2026.
Forest 3
A sudden system failure forces a spacecraft into an emergency landing on an uncharted alien planet – a hostile world where every living organism, from flora to fauna, poses a deadly threat, and every step could be a matter of life or death. Forest 3 is the latest installment in Endnight Games’ acclaimed survival series, creators of The Forest and Sons of the Forest.
Unveiled at The Game Awards 2025, Forest 3 takes the series’ signature survival gameplay from familiar terrestrial landscapes into a vast, sci-fi-inspired ecosystem. The new setting reinvents the franchise while preserving its core pillars – isolation, vulnerability, and constant danger – now amplified by alien hazards and a relentlessly unpredictable environment.
Players step into the role of a resourceful female protagonist with extraordinary abilities, navigating a world that allows no hesitation and punishes even the smallest mistake. Exploration, resource management, and adaptability remain at the heart of the gameplay, now reimagined within an alien ecosystem that pushes the survival genre to its limits.
Forest 3 does not yet have an official release date.
Invincible VS
The upcoming fighting game based on Robert Kirkman’s Invincible universe is expanding its roster ahead of its highly anticipated launch next year on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Invincible VS brings the iconic comic-book universe to life through fast-paced 3v3 battles, matching fan-favorite heroes and villains against one another while introducing new characters crafted exclusively for the game.
Confirmed fighters include Invincible (Mark Grayson), Omni-Man, Atom Eve, Bulletproof, Rex Splode, Thula, Robot, and Monster Girl – each boasting signature moves, combos, and abilities that faithfully capture their comic-book counterparts. Joining the roster is Ella Mental, an original character created by the series’ co-creators, wielding a visually striking arsenal of powers based on the manipulation of the four elements.
Invincible VS is scheduled for release on April 30, 2026.
Orbitals
Orbitals is a cooperative space adventure that blends nostalgic sensibilities with contemporary game design, drawing clear inspiration from the visual and narrative traditions of classic Japanese animation. Scheduled to launch in 2026 as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, the game is built from the ground up around asymmetric multiplayer, making cooperation a foundational element rather than a supporting feature. The story follows Maki and Omura, two young explorers who venture beyond the limits of known space in a bid to save their orbital station from a mysterious cosmic storm of seemingly supernatural origin.
Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Orbitals is built to take full advantage of Nintendo’s next-generation hardware. The game features an extensive set of cooperative options, including local split-screen play with paired Joy-Con 2 controllers, GameShare support, and online matchmaking with integrated voice chat.
Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred
Blizzard has officially announced Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred with a new trailer, unveiling the highly anticipated expansion that opens a pivotal chapter in the long-running hack-and-slash franchise set in the grim world of Sanctuary.
In Lord of Hatred, players once again come face to face with Mephisto, the Prime Evil known as the Lord of Hatred, whose corrupting influence threatens to spread across the continent and consume Sanctuary from within. Serving as the culmination of the current narrative arc, the expansion weaves together themes of bloodline, ancient legacies, and moral decay, culminating in a high-stakes struggle for the very fate of Sanctuary.
Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred is set to release on April 28, 2026.
007: First Light
At the event, a new trailer for 007: First Light was revealed, focusing on one of James Bond’s most formidable foes: the notorious Bawma. International music and film icon Lenny Kravitz makes his video game debut, providing both his voice and likeness for the role of the “King of Pirates.” Charismatic, calculating, and relentlessly ruthless, Bawma leads a sprawling black-market arms network – one that Bond will be tasked with systematically dismantling.
007: First Light is set to release on March 27, 2026.
Lords of the Fallen II
Lords of the Fallen II, the highly anticipated sequel to CI Games’ acclaimed souls-like, premiered at The Game Awards with a gameplay trailer highlighting the project’s scale, ambition, and narrative depth.
Set a century after the events of the original game, Lords of the Fallen II plunges players into a world where the fragile boundary between the living and the dead is on the verge of collapse. The trailer takes viewers through the ruins of ancient citadels and forgotten temples – environments steeped in decay and mystery – inhabited by nightmarish creatures and towering bosses, each designed with distinctive attack patterns that demand precision, strategy, and flawless timing.
Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Lords of the Fallen II builds on the series’ acclaimed combat system, enhancing responsiveness, tactical depth, and offering a broader range of combat approaches. Among its key new features is a shared cooperative mode, allowing players to progress through the entire campaign together with seamless synchronization between solo and co-op play. Veterans of the series will also recognize the return of the Umbral Lantern – the series’ signature tool for traversing between the realms of the living and the dead – now upgraded with hidden paths, deadly hazards, and ever more formidable foes.
Lords of the Fallen II is scheduled for release on all major platforms in 2026.
Saros
At The Game Awards, Housemarque unveiled Saros, its upcoming sci-fi adventure, providing an exclusive first look ahead of its PlayStation 5 launch. The reveal was accompanied by a trailer showcasing the game’s richly detailed world, its protagonist, and the core mechanics that will shape the player experience.
Players take on the role of Arjun Devraj, a Soltari Enforcer tasked with uncovering the mysterious disappearance of the Carcosa colony – an alien outpost threatened by a strange eclipse and unknown hostile forces. Set on a harsh and unforgiving world, Saros blends third-person action with roguelite elements, featuring a meticulously balanced permanent progression system that rewards players even after character death.
Saros is scheduled for release on April 30, 2026, as a PlayStation 5 exclusive.
No Law
Alongside the presentation of the Best Narrative award to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Swedish developer Neon Giant – best known for The Ascent – unveiled its latest project, No Law.
No Law is a first-person, open-world shooter RPG set in Port Desire, a decaying port city overrun by corruption, rampant crime, and blinding neon lights. In this city, the absence of rules is not just a thematic element – it drives the narrative itself. Players take on the role of Grey Harker, a military veteran who, after failing to escape a violent past, must rely on his operational expertise to confront the factions controlling the city and reclaim what was taken from him.
The gameplay emphasizes player agency, allowing players to approach missions through stealth or direct confrontation, with meaningful consequences that influence both the narrative and the broader evolution of the game world.
With No Law, Neon Giant aims to blend a gripping, morally complex cyber-noir narrative with a dynamic, living open world, placing player choice and ethical consequences at the heart of the experience – in a city stripped of certainties, landmarks, and rules.
A release date for No Law has not yet been announced.
Total War: Warhammer 40K
At The Game Awards 2025, David Harbour unveiled Total War: Warhammer 40,000, the latest entry in Creative Assembly’s acclaimed strategy series, bringing the franchise for the first time into the expansive and grim world of Warhammer 40K.
The cinematic trailer provided a glimpse of the epic conflicts ahead: massive armies, planetary-scale skirmishes, and visually striking set pieces, all crafted with meticulous attention to the franchise’s signature grimdark aesthetic. The project promises not merely to expand the scope of warfare within the series, but to fully embody the themes, tone, and atmosphere of the 41st millennium, delivering a deep, immersive strategy experience that remains faithful to the lore of Warhammer 40K.
Remaining faithful to the series’ signature formula, the game retains its iconic blend of turn-based strategy and real-time combat, now expanded to an unprecedented interstellar scale. Infantry, colossal war machines, and legendary factions will collide in relentless battles spanning entire planets and star systems. The announcement also confirmed that the franchise will launch on both PC and next-generation consoles.
As of now, no official release date has been announced for Total War: Warhammer 40,000.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve
Bandai Namco officially unveiled Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve at The Game Awards, marking the highly anticipated return of one of the most beloved aerial combat franchises in gaming. Scheduled for release in 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, the game – developed by Project Aces using Unreal Engine 5 – aims to redefine the arcade flight experience, combining high-octane action, a compelling narrative, and cutting-edge visual design.
Set in 2029 within the fictional Strangereal universe, the campaign places players in the cockpit of an elite pilot drawn into the Central Usean Federation’s resistance against the invading Republic of Sotoa. Throughout the conflict, the protagonist takes on the legendary mantle of “Wings of Theve,” a beacon of courage, determination, and hope, leading a squadron of elite pilots through high-stakes missions whose outcomes will shape the fate of their homeland.
On the technical front, Wings of Theve takes the series to new heights, featuring volumetric environments, dynamic weather systems, and map sizes unprecedented in the franchise. These elements do more than enhance the visual spectacle – they influence mission strategy and pacing, turning every environmental detail into an integral part of the flight experience.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is set to launch in 2026.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer
Star Wars: Galactic Racer marks the franchise’s debut in high-speed racing, aiming to deliver the full-throttle excitement of futuristic competition. Developed by UK-based Fuse Games, founded by Burnout and Need for Speed veterans, and published by Secret Mode in partnership with Lucasfilm Games, the game is set to release in 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Set in the Outer Rim in the aftermath of the Empire’s fall, the game introduces the clandestine Galactic League, a high-stakes circuit of speeder and repulsorlift races where reputation, credits, and survival are decided in fractions of a second. Races follow a runs-based format across branching tracks, featuring dynamic environmental conditions and risk-reward mechanics that require tactical decision-making and careful resource management.
Alongside a single-player campaign – combining standalone challenges with a tailored progression system – Galactic Racer features competitive multiplayer modes. Vehicle classes, from agile speederbikes to heavier landspeeders, feature unique handling and physics, fully customizable in both equipment and driving setup, allowing players to experiment with a wide range of strategies and playstyles.
The release of Star Wars: Galactic Racer is planned for 2026.
Out of Words
Out of Words was among the most striking and original games showcased at this year’s The Game Awards. Developed by Kong Orange and WiredFly and published by Epic Games, the project is conceived as a deeply expressive work, deliberately positioning itself between interactive art and traditional video game design, rather than adhering to established genre conventions.
Conceived as a two-player cooperative experience, Out of Words is fully realized through handcrafted stop-motion animation – a deliberate and increasingly uncommon creative choice in modern game development. Every asset, from characters to environments, has been physically modeled and animated by hand, resulting in a tactile visual identity that emphasizes materiality, craftsmanship, and authorial intent.
Set within the surreal world of Vokabulantis, the game follows Kurt and Karla in a side-scrolling journey structured around cooperation, precision, and mutual awareness. Environmental puzzles and challenges are built around constant interaction between players, making collaboration not a secondary feature, but the driving force of the entire experience.
Out of Words is currently scheduled for release in 2026.
Phantom Blade Zero
Chinese developer S-Game took the global stage at The Game Awards to unveil a new trailer and officially reveal the release date for its highly anticipated action RPG, Phantom Blade Zero. Crafted exclusively for the showcase, the trailer seamlessly blends cinematic narrative sequences with adrenaline-fueled gameplay, employing sharp editing and dynamic visuals to convey both the intensity of combat and the narrative’s ambitious scope.
Phantom Blade Zero follows Soul, an elite assassin of the secretive organization The Order. Betrayed and falsely accused of murdering the patriarch, he is gravely wounded and left at death’s door during a relentless manhunt. Rescued by a mysterious healer, Soul quickly learns that his second chance is fleeting – he has only 66 days to uncover the conspiracy, complete his mission, and restore a precarious balance to the dark, decaying Phantom World.
Phantom Blade Zero launches on September 9, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and PC.
Mega Man: Dual Override
The legendary Blue Bomber is gearing up to race back into the spotlight.
Capcom unveiled Mega Man: Dual Override at The Game Awards 2025, marking the highly anticipated return of one of gaming’s most iconic and enduring franchises. The new installment promises a bold revival, reintroducing the classic hero to a new generation of players while honoring the legacy cherished by longtime fans.
The game builds on the series’ classic foundations – tight platforming, precision shooting, and meticulously designed stages that test player reflexes – while reimagining them with a modern visual identity and state-of-the-art technical execution. Capcom’s goal is clear: to preserve the core spirit and enduring appeal of the classic Mega Man experience, delivering it through a contemporary, cohesive gameplay experience that feels both fresh and fully in step with today’s industry standards.
The game is scheduled for release in 2027.
Super Mario Galaxy: The Movie
At The Game Awards 2025, a brand-new clip from Super Mario Galaxy: The Movie premiered, offering a thrilling glimpse of the iconic plumber brothers, Mario and Luigi, facing the formidable Bowser Jr.
Produced by Illumination in close collaboration with Nintendo and distributed by Universal Pictures, the film reimagines the iconic visuals of the original video games with ambitious direction and cinematic scale, delivering visually striking sequences crafted with meticulous attention to detail.
The voice cast brings the franchise’s beloved characters to life, featuring Chris Pratt as Mario and Charlie Day as Luigi, alongside Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, and Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek. New additions include Brie Larson as Rosalina and Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr.
As a direct sequel to the critically acclaimed 2023 animated adaptation, Super Mario Galaxy: The Movie aims to broaden and enrich the narrative universe established in its predecessor, delivering an even more ambitious and visually stunning production.
The film is scheduled for release in April 2026.
Highguard
The evening’s world premiere lineup closed with Highguard, a competitive shooter from the creators of Apex Legends and Titanfall. This free-to-play PvP raid shooter combines large-scale battles, coordinated assaults on enemy strongholds, and intricate territorial control mechanics.
In Highguard, players take on the role of Wardens, arcane gunslingers vying for control of a mythical continent torn apart by warring factions. The action extends far beyond simple team skirmishes: the core of gameplay revolves around capturing the Shieldbreaker, a legendary artifact capable of breaching enemy defenses and decisively destroying opposing bases.
Developed by Wildlight Entertainment, a studio composed of industry veterans behind some of the most influential shooters of recent years, the game is designed to deliver an experience that is both accessible and deeply engaging, combining unique abilities, versatile vehicles, and high-intensity combat.
Highguard is set to launch on January 26, 2026.
The Game That Stole the Show at The Game Awards 2025
It was a night that will be remembered in gaming history. Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominated The Game Awards 2025, sweeping nine awards from ten nominations, including the highly coveted Game of the Year, and breaking the previous record of seven wins held by Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II.
But the celebration didn’t end on stage. During their acceptance speech, Sandfall Interactive announced the immediate release of the highly anticipated free end-game expansion, “Thank You”– a heartfelt gesture of gratitude to the players who have supported the game since its launch.
Packed with rich new content, the update expands the Expedition 33 universe with a brand-new playable biome, Verso’s Drafts– an end-game area devoted entirely to the childhood of one of the story’s key characters. The expansion also introduces a wealth of additional features, including new weapons, quests, original enemies, formidable bosses, and extensive customization options – all meticulously crafted to enhance and deepen the experience for members of Expedition 33.
The Game Awards 2025: All Winners, Category by Category
Below is the official list of winners from The Game Awards 2025, organized by category. Awarded titles are highlighted in bold.
Game of the Year
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Hades 2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Best Game Direction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
- Ghost Of Yōtei
- Hades 2
- Split Fiction
Best Narrative
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
- Ghost Of Yōtei
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- Silent Hill f
Best Art Direction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
- Ghost Of Yōtei
- Hades 2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
Best Score and Music
- Christopher Larkin – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Darren Korb – Hades 2
- Lorien Testard – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Toma Otowa – Ghost Of Yōtei
- Woodkid and Ludvig Forssell – Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Best Audio Design
- Battlefield 6
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost Of Yōtei
- Silent Hill f
Best Performance
- Ben Starr – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Charlie Cox – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Erika Ishii – Ghost Of Yōtei
- Jennifer English – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Konatsu Kato – Silent Hill f
- Troy Baker – Indiana Jones And The Great Circle
Innovation in Accessibility
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows
- Atomfall
- Doom: The Dark Ages
- EA Sports FC 26
- South Of Midnight
Games for Impact
- Consume Me
- Despelote
- Lost Records: Bloom & Rage
- South Of Midnight
- Wanderstop
Best Ongoing
- Final Fantasy 14
- Fortnite
- Helldivers 2
- Marvel Rivals
- No Man’s Sky
Best Community Support
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Final Fantasy 14
- Fortnite
- Helldivers 2
- No Man’s Sky
Best Independent Game
- Absolum
- Ball x Pit
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hades 2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
Best Debut Indie Game
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Despelote
- Dispatch
- Megabonk
Best Mobile Game
- Destiny: Rising
- Persona 5: The Phantom X
- Sonic Rumble
- Umamusume: Pretty Derby
- Wuthering Waves
Best VR/AR
- Alien: Rogue Incursion
- Arken Age
- Ghost Town
- Marvel’s Deadpool VR
- The Midnight Walk
Best Action
- Battlefield 6
- Doom: The Dark Ages
- Hades 2
- Ninja Gaiden 4
- Shinobi: Art Of Vengeance
Best Action/Adventure
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Indiana Jones And The Great Circle
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Split Fiction
Best RPG
- Avowed
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- The Outer Worlds 2
- Monster Hunter Wilds
Best Fighting
- 2XKO
- Capcom Fighting Collection 2
- Fatal Fury: City Of The Wolves
- Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection
- Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage
Best Family
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Lego Party!
- Lego Voyagers
- Mario Kart World
- Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
- Split Fiction
Best Sim/Strategy
- The Alters
- Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles
- Jurassic World Evolution 3
- Sid Meier’s Civilization 7
- Tempest Rising
- Two Point Museum
Best Sports/Racing
- EA Sports FC 26
- F1 25
- Mario Kart World
- Rematch
- Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
Best Multiplayer
- Arc Raiders
- Battlefield 6
- Elden Ring Nightreign
- Peak
- Split Fiction
Best Adaptation
- A Minecraft Movie
- Devil May Cry
- The Last of Us: Season 2
- Splinter Cell: Deathwatch
- Until Dawn
Most Anticipated Game
- 007 First Light
- Grand Theft Auto 6
- Marvel’s Wolverine
- Resident Evil Requiem
- The Witcher 4
Content Creator of the Year
- Caedrel
- Kai Cenat
- MoistCr1TiKaL
- Sakura Miko
- The Burnt Peanut
Best Esports Game
- Counter-Strike 2
- Dota 2
- League Of Legends
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
- Valorant
Best Esports Athlete
- brawk – Brock Somerhalder (Valorant)
- Chovy – Jeong Ji-hoon (League of Legends)
- f0rsakeN – Jason Susanto (Valorant)
- Kakeru – Kakeru Watanabe (Street Fighter)
- MenaRD – Saul Leonardo (Street Fighter)
- Zyw0o – Mathieu Herbaut (Counter-Strike 2)
Best Esports Team
- Gen.G – League of Legends
- NRG – Valorant
- Team Falcons – DOTA 2
- Team Liquid PH – Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
- Team Vitality – Counter-Strike 2
Players’ Voice
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Dispatch
- Genshin Impact
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Wuthering Waves
Game Changer
- Girls make Games
