2025 is a banner year for the gaming industry, which is one thing The prize game looking to find out this december. Looking back at this power, it's amazing how many games have been destroyed: created Projects like Manga Prince, These changesand Sarah Fictionwhat would have been a sho-in for game of the year in other years, didn't make the list at all this year, just showing how the quality has been slipping in recent years.
While some of these shortcomings may be considered snubs by many, the actual lineup for the cable game of the year is nothing to scoff at. Hereditary titles are included Donkey Kong Banzawhich leads Nintendo's presence at this year's event, but a little more relaxed and more surprising Clair obscur: Expedition 33. In other words, the long-standing AAA industry, or institutions such as Sony and Nintendo, are strongly represented in the Game Awards 2025, but they are compatible with the indie sector, which has not happened before.
The 2025 Game of the Year award
- Clair obscur: Expedition 33 (indie)
- Death processing 2: on the beach
- Donkey Kong Banza
- Hades 2 (indie)
- Hollow Knight: Silksong (indie)
- Kingdom Come: Arrangement 2
Why are there so many indie games at this year's game awards?
The best games of 2025 are independent and not random
A quick look at many online gaming communities will reveal the bevy of arguments that “AAA gaming is dead,” and while that may be hyperbolic, it's rooted in the gaming industry. For many years, AAA, the blockbuster game was the only way for the media to express itself: game development was a far more distant and inevitable field before 2010. Just as the beginning of the explosion of indie shows continued at a time when they were alienated from their audience through practices such as practices, direct marketing practices, and general trends.
When the stock market began to panic with the worst forces in the free market and chased a lot of stocks but issued releases (for example, HIRAM, Fallout 76), Indie games should work on the development of the medium. It's not too much of a stretch to say that many of the most prolific and prolific remakes of the past decade have come from indie indies: games like Disco Elysium SY Kentucky Route Zero offering high-quality art to consumers in an affordable and repeatable, but desirable experience The binding of Isaac, Hollow Knightand Cuphead proved that games don't need to follow traditional business conventions to be successful.
This brings us to 2025, where three of the six games of the year nominated for the year are either independent releases or published by small labels, Indie Labels. The most important thing is that these three players have the best chance to win a game of the year – rejecting the idea that anyone of them can show or “compassion”. Clair obscur is one of the most immersive and exciting rpgs of the decade; Hollow Knight: Silksong exceeded the uncertain expected frequency set by the time period. Hades 2 did the same thing, building on a foundation that has grown to define the roguelike gonre.
Therefore, the shortest explanation of why Indie games have the same footprint in this year's game awards is that they are just as good but better than AAA games, in many cases. There is no Indie game that is considered as a younger cousin of AAA Games like Clair obscur It's not a model art game that will be admired by a few but ignored by others: Success and commercial success that reached millions of people. If the industry continues on this path, it is likely that future games will represent shortages. They may be further away from the AAA world when it comes to such honors and recognition.
