Gaming’s awards season ain’t over but (the truth is, it’s not even shut). And on Sunday evening, the New York Videogame Critics Circle reminded onlookers why there can’t simply be one definitive winners checklist on this city.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 snagged yet one more Sport of the 12 months trophy, however the full checklist of winners included titles like Blippo+, Ball x Pit, and Lumines Come up; the sorts of video games you may solely see on complete best-of lists curated by the most effective minds of a technology (ahem).
No shade to Clair Obsur, which has sadly develop into the easy-to-roll-your-eyes-at villain of gaming’s inverted GOTY dialog. When the loudest, flashiest verdict lands first — The Sport Awards looming in December like an Oscar evening that forgot to attend its flip — the remainder of the yr turns into a type of prolonged epilogue, a sequence of ceremonies deciding whether or not to affirm the plain or zig the place Geoff Keighley’s voting physique already zagged.
Expedition 33 has turned that construction right into a victory lap. Its nine-win sweep at The Sport Awards, together with Sport of the 12 months, shattered information and cemented the debut RPG from Sandfall Interactive because the uncommon indie-adjacent manufacturing that flattened the sector. As awards season grinds on by DICE, GDC, and past, the sport stays the prohibitive favourite. The New York Sport Awards couldn’t deny Expedition 33 the highest prize — keep in mind, it is good! — however its voters weren’t able to reward it a sweep both.
Right here is the total checklist of this yr’s 2025 New York Sport Awards winners, which ought to frankly win their very own award for Cheekiest Dad Joke Class Names:
Large Apple Award for Finest Sport of the 12 months
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Off Broadway Award for Finest Indie Sport
Blue Prince
Herman Melville Award for Finest Writing in a Sport
Blippo+
Statue of Liberty Award for Finest World
Hades II
Tin Pan Alley Award for Finest Music in a Sport
South of Midnight
Nice White Approach Award for Finest Performing in a Sport
Jennifer English as Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Excelsior Award for Finest NY Sport
Ball x Pit
Coney Island Dreamland Award for Finest AR/VR Sport
Lumines Come up
Central Park Youngsters’s Zoo Award for Finest Children Sport
Donkey Kong Bananza
A-Prepare Award for Finest Cellular Sport
Is This Seat Taken?
Excessive Line Award for Finest Remake
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
Chumley’s Speakeasy Award for Finest Hidden Gem
Information Tower
NYC GWB Award for Finest DLC
Lies of P: Overture
Knickerbocker Award for Finest Video games Journalism
Individuals Make Video games
Andrew Yoon Legend Award Recipient
The Pokémon Firm
