The Protagonist

Friday started out as an ordinary day for me. I had just come back from gym, warmed up some leftovers for lunch, checked messages from a friend on Instagram…

Then OH CRAP. The Game Awards is today! Panic.

I raced to the couch and tuned in to the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Clair Obscur) live performance and wiped my brow. Phew.

The Game Awards

The Game Awards (TGA) is an annual, international event that recognises the excellence of games in the industry based on different categories. I’d describe TGA as very similar to an awards ceremony like the Oscars in terms of entertainment value and schedule.

Overall the event is approximately three hours long. While a big portion of it is chatter, celebrity guests, live performances and the dreaded advertisements, I think it does a great job at wrapping up the year and providing a snapshot of the exciting games to come.

Click here to see the full list of the winners of the 2025 TGA:

• Best Performance- Jennifer English (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
• Games for Impact- South of Midnight
• Best Ongoing Game- No Man’s Sky
• Best Audio Design- Battlefield 6
• Content Creator of the Year- MoistCr1TiKaL
• Best Fighting Game- Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
• Most Anticipated Game- Grand Theft Auto 6
• TGA Game Changer- Girls Make Games
• Best Action/Adventure Game- Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Best Art Direction- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Best Sim/Strategy Game- Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
• Best Independent Game- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Best Debut Indie Game- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Best Score & Music- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Best Sports Racing Game- Mario Kart World
• Best Community Support- Baldurs Gate 3
• Best VR/AR Game- The Midnight Walk
• Best RPG- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Players’ Voice- Wuthering Waves
• Best Narrative- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Best Multiplayer Game- ARC Raiders
• Best Game Direction- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Game of the Year- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Other critically acclaimed nominees include: Ghost of Yotei, Silent Hill F, Hades II, Split Fiction and Kingdom Come Deliverance II.

Clair Obscur: Game of the Year

CLAIR OBSCUR ABSOLUTELY SLAYED. I was very happy to see that and I truly think it’s well deserved. Holy baguette. Nine awards! Everyone else was simply gommaged. The game won almost every category they were nominated for. An incredible feat for a debut, indie studio.

I loved Jennifer English’s heartfelt speech upon winning Best Performance for Clair Obscur.

To every neurodivergent person watching this in this room, cos I know there’s probably quite a lot of you, and at home. To all of you that feel like life is stuck on hard mode, this one is for you. And thank you so much to the games community and industry for giving us, so many of us, a home. For those who come after.

-Jennifer English

I mentioned a few months ago about how much I enjoyed the game in this post. It’s one of those games that checks all the boxes (including those you didn’t know you had). I have added it to my mental list of top games of all time, and I can’t recommend it enough. TGA definitely beat me to announcing it as game of the year.

Other Highlights

Street Fighter

I was not ready for the entire Street Fighter cast to show up on stage to present. Despite working in the movie industry, I had completely forgotten about the new live action movie coming out next year! The cast is big and diverse, with stars like Jason Momoa, 50 Cent and David Dastmalchian. Even Noah Centineo, who I was randomly just thinking about that morning, appeared on screen looking like Season 2 Jayce from Arcane.

Evanescence

The Evanescence performance was a banger as usual. Amy Lee is so incredibly talented. The band was here to perform their song Afterlife which is featured in the Netflix Series Devil May Cry.

Girls Make Games

Another highlight was TGA’s Game Changer award going to Girls Make Games. They’re an organisation focused on helping young girls build early careers in the video game industry. Do I wish that was around when I was younger!

Guest Appearances

Of course, it was inspiring to see big industry players such as Dan Houser and Todd Howard or actresses Gemma Chan and Milla Jovovich make a statement.

Game development is the ultimate team sport.

– Todd Howard

What’s coming in 2026 and beyond

I couldn’t help but notice the number of dark fantasy games that were out or coming soon. The new Divinity trailer was absolutely revolting, yet my eyes were glued to the screen in gross fascination.

Not sure why I am surprised to see the industry continue to yearn for grim, unnerving and grotesque games. I kept wondering to myself: were the big and popular games always so dark, terrifying and, well, disgusting? That’s when I know I’ve been living in the bright and colourful worlds of Pokemon, Teamfight Tactics and cosy games for too long.

Apart from Divinity- which I will most likely end up playing while fighting the nausea growling in the pit of my stomach- these other upcoming games piqued my interest:

• Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic
• Resident Evil 9: Requiem
• Orbitals
• Diablo: Lord of Hatred
• Saros
• No Law
• Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve
• Highguard

And that’s a wrap! Thanks to everyone in the industry for a successful gaming year in 2025.

May bigger things be around the corner in 2026, because for each studio hard at work out there, tomorrow comes.

Look after yourself,

Elena