Here's What Won: Giant Bomb's Game of the Year 2025

Duder, it's over!

The 18th Annual Giant Bomb Game of the Year extravaganza has come to an end. Did you catch every minute of the many hours of deliberations? Maybe not. Or maybe you simply don't have time even if you listen on 2X speed and you just wanna know what won. Well, this is the article for you. A no nonsense rundown of everything that won (and the runners-up) for every category.

I'm also including a list of links at the end for all of the GOTY lists that were highlighted over the last two weeks.

Deliberations

Day 1 - Video - Podcast
Day 2 - Video - Podcast
Day 3 - Video - Podcast
Day 4 - Video - Podcast

The Awards

Game of the Year

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Blue Prince
Dispatch
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hades II
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance
Baby Steps
Donkey Kong Bananza
Sektori
LEGO Party!

The "Oh, That Feels Cool" Award

Parrying in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Chunk Jumping in Donkey Kong Bananza
Sweet Air Combos in Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

Hardware King of the Year

Watching 'Cats' while playing Bubsy 3D on the AYN Thor

Analogue 3D
Attaching Joy-cons with magnets

Worst Blight

Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust

Darkest of Days
Rascal

Best Blight

Trespasser

Overblood
Virtual Hydlide

Best Game We Beat KindaFunny and/or MinnMax and/or Game Informer at This Year

TIE!

Baby Steps
Elden Ring Nightreign
Everybody's Golf: Hot Shots
Monaco 2
Pizza Bet
Rematch
Sektori

Soulja Boy Award for Best Game for People Who Like to Drink and Get Drunk or Smoke and Get High of the Year

Lumines Arise

Skate Story
Sword of the Sea

Best New Character

Chase in Dispatch

Sherma in Hollow Knight: Silksong
Dollman in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Best Gambling brought to you by Click Click Bomb

Blue Prince slot machines

Flick Game in Ghost of Yōtei
Q-Up

Best Ninja

Joe Musashi in Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

Mega Greninja in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Atsu in Ghost of Yōtei

Best Z-Teamer

Golem

Prism
Malevola

Best Multiplayer

Peak

LEGO Party!
ARC Raiders

Game of the Year 2021

Metroid Dread

Psychonauts 2
Vampire Survivors

Best Cat in Cats

Bombalurina

Rum Tum Tugger
Skimbleshanks

Best Friendslop (positive)

PEAK

R.E.P.O.
Supermarket Simulator

Best New Website

GiantBomb.com

Boomer Game of the Year

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection

Earthion
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles

Disappointment of the Year

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Xbox Full Screen Experience
Mario Kart World

GiantBomb.com Especially Presents Best Comeback

Konami

Ninja Gaiden
Shinobi

Best Roguelike

Blue Prince

Hades II
Absolum

Kayla and Scorpion's Spear Presents Best Moment / Sequence

"Keep Up" from Dispatch

"Confligration" from Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
"Mommy" from Baby Steps