The Game Awards 2025 revealed its nominees for its series of categories, from the most anticipated game of 2026 to the best esports team of the year. But while plenty of attention will be paid to each of these categories, the main focus, as always, will be on Game of the Year.
It's a diverse GOTY line-up for 2025 and, to be honest, every nominated game feels worthy of the award. There is an obvious predecessor Clair Obscur: Expedition 33but all 5 games received enough praise to warrant a win. But even when we talk about positive trends and records in these categories, there is an unfortunate streak that has once again continued for 2025.
Xbox Game Studios has never been nominated for Game of the Year
Since The Game Awards began in 2014, Xbox has yet to receive a first-party title nominated for Game of the Year. Not Starfieldnot Switches 5not Forza Horizon. It's surprising that Xbox has yet to be recognized in the 10+ years the program has been around, let alone with a Game of the Year award.
While there have been plenty of Xbox titles that could have earned a nomination, this year felt like there was a pretty good chance the streak could be broken. That is, before the big caravan of indies rolled in and got all the attention.
In a brighter year I could see games like The Outer Worlds 2 or Avowed received a Game of the Year nomination, but 2025 was stacked. Hollow Knight: Silk Song, Hades 2, Death Stranding 2, Expedition 33and Kingdom Come Deliverance II is a strong slate of nominees, and there were plenty of alternates who would have felt deserving as well.
Xbox has some Game of the Year winners, but they have an asterisk
By chance, Xbox has two nominations and two game of the year wins at The Game Awardsbut for games it added to its library after the fact through acquisition. Monitoring won Game of the Year in 2016, but that was seven years before Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard King. And Sekiro: Shadows Die Twiceanother Activision-published title, won in 2019.
The Outer Worlds 1 was nominated for Game of the Year 2019, but the first title, despite being released after Microsoft acquired developer Obsidian Entertainment in 2018, was published by Private Division. It's arguably the closest Microsoft and Xbox have come to a nomination/win, and in some circles that counts because they technically owned Obsidian when it won. Other technical details include Doom being nominated for Game of the Year 2016, Doom Eternal year 2020 and Deathloop year 2021.
Both Sony and Nintendo have tons of nominations and all have won
For comparison's sake, Xbox's two main rivals, Nintendo and Sony have been nominated in almost every year since 2014. Nintendo missed out on a Game of the Year nomination in 2016, 2018 and last year. Meanwhile, Sony has only missed out on a GOTY nod in 2016.
Both studios also have at least one win. Sony has three Game of the Year Awards, too God of War (2018), The Last of Us Part 2, and Astro Bot last year. Nintendo has a GOTY win too The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Xbox has been recognized at The Game Awards
That said, Microsoft and Xbox haven't been completely shut out when it comes to nominations or wins at The Game Awards. This year, Microsoft has the third most nominations with 10 (tied with Electronic Arts), and that has been recognized at previous iterations of The Game Awards.
Microsoft wins at The Game Awards
For 2025, Microsoft and Xbox Game Studios have a few chances to take home a prize. South of midnight could win the Games for Impact or Innovation in Accessibility, but there is strong competition in both categories. It has two nominated games in it Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 for Best RPG, but the expectations are Clair Obscur will take that category. Troy Baker could win for his portrayal of Indiana Jones but again, Clair Obscur stand in the way with three separate nominees. With a record 13 nominations, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is going to be tough competition for everyone, not just Xbox.
What could get Xbox a Game of the Year nomination in 2026
I know there will be discussions of bias and favoritism when it comes to Xbox's current streak, but it feels like conspiracy theory nonsense more than anything else. However, it's surprising that Xbox doesn't even have a nomination.
As for breaking the streak, however, Microsoft and Xbox Game Studios will have to wait until next year for their next chance at a Game of the Year nod. 2026 has both Fable and Gears of War E-Day scheduled for release, and any of these could be strong candidates for nominations, if not TGA hardware. We'll have to wait and see if they can help Microsoft break their streak.
