GOTY is looking to be anyones guess this year?

Gameranx just released a video discussing how tight this year's GOTY contenders are stacked... That it could go any way the wind blows given the efforts put forth by developers in 2025. Given there is no Elden Ring or Balders Gate level contenders (or is there?) it's likely goty goes to multiple games throughout the last weeks of the year...

My question to system wars is which game do you believe deserves goty in 2025.. And which of the realistic contenders do you think is a paper tiger and not worthy of the honor...?

I will say, that though I've not played Expedition 33 it does seem like a sort of lock for many publications. The storybifnhow it came together bucks every trend in the industry and could reshape the scope of game development. I think voters (whomever they are) will want that thrust in the spotlight. The game, from what I hear is also wonderful.

The way I look at it these are my personal contenders for best games of 2025:

• Monster Hunter Wilds
• Ninja Gaiden 4
• Donkey Kong Bananza

& the contenders of games haven't played but seem to fit the mold:

• Kingdom Come Deliverance II
• Split Fiction
• Clair Obscur

In my opinion it's between these six.

Sure many other great games came out this year, Silksong and Mario Kart World just don't see them making the cut. Maybe best Family Friendly game and best Indie.

donkey kong bananza

Silent Hill f!

Hopefully.

Expidition 33 easily for me so far.

The way everyone has been talking about it; seems to be Expedition 33

I really couldn't get into Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but I do understand what that game was going for, it just wasn't for me, but I know it's totally a worthy contender for GOTY 2025. Hollow Knight: Silksong has a chance to win GOTY 2025 IMO.

But it is too early to tell as Ghost of Yotei is coming out next month, so that's going to be a sleeper hit despite the controversy it has been getting for months. (Not the recent events but it's an add-on) There's also Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 and while I enjoy it, I don't see that getting nominated but I'll be surprise nonetheless.

There's also Death Stranding 2 and haven't played it yet, that's going up there for sure and Oblivion Remastered.

Expedition 33 seems like the game most poised to rack up the awards ... not that I care about them. The only thing that matters for the rest of the year is if Ninja Gaiden 4 delivers .

Expedition 33 feels clearly ahead so far. The reviewers loved it, the audience loved it, and it had the biggest impact (judging from the Spotify numbers and sold-out performances and the many articles about their tiny team shaking up the industry).

Silksong is another game that should be up there in the nominations. It's one of the year's biggest success stories, and it's an astonishingly good game. The only thing that may hold it back is the difficulty, which does deter a lot of people.

Nobody has mentioned Hades 2 yet. I put 30+ hours into an early Early Access build, and it's excellent - better than the original in a lot of ways. With the extra few years of polish, I think it'll be one of the GOTY nominees on most sites.

Metroid Prime 4 probably releases too late in the year to qualify, and probably wouldn't qualify anyway, but who knows. If it's half as good as the original, it'll be one of the better games this year.

Finally, shout out to Blue Prince. It won't win. It's my second most played game of the year (behind Silksong, I think), and it was an easy shoe-in for indie game of the year until about a month ago. Maybe it'll still scrape into the nominations as a critic's choice, but I think it just missed out.

Yeah, it’s a very tight race indeed. My GotY so far is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Very closely followed by Death Stranding 2 and Donkey Kong Bananza.

@TheEroica: You're a self proclaimed music guy and hasn't played Expedition 33, that's an epic fail 🤦‍♂️

I don't get into the GOTY debate much because the vast majority of the games that get nominated (narrative driven dribble) i tend to stay away from.

From what games I've played that were released this year (which isn't much) I would say that if Expedition 33 doesn't win and something like Death Stranding gets nominated let alone wins I know it will be rigged.

Everyone who played it at the recent event seemed very positive about the game, so unless they really **** it up I think it's at least a shoe-in as the best 3D Slasher of 2025.

they'll shoehorn some average sony first party or timed money hatted exclusive in there.

My guess it will be assassins creed rip off ghosts or death stranding 2 fed x simulator.

Avowed is mine at the minute

DK and Silksong are solid candidates. But there's still potential candidates yet to release. Metroid and Ninja Gaiden.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 gets my vote. Plus, it's a new IP and not a sequel so It gets major points with me.

Silksong for me personally, so far. It will not win any GOTY awards though, those are reserved for AAA games.

Clair Obscur would be my current guess. It's not indie and it's popular. Feels like there wouldn't be outrage if it won, so it's a pretty safe option.

Split/Fiction might have a chance.

Monster Hunter Wilds, nah. Wild's popularity was great in the beginning because people loved World and wanted more of that shit, then plummeted shortly after people noticed it's worse.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is too niche.

Silent Hill f? Probably also too niche.

Bananza? Nah. People liked it, but I'm not feeling the hype. Seems rather forgettable.

Metroid Prime 4? Probably not a chance. Metroid Prime was a great game. MP2 was a pretty good sequel. MP3 was not close to as good, and that doesn't bode very well for MP4. I think it's going to be a good game, but it taking GOTY awards is just not believable.

Mario Kart World? Nah. People seem pretty bored with Mario Kart.

While I haven't been playing much games this year, Clair Obscur seems to be the front runner judging by word of mouth.

Unless something like BG3 drops at the end of the year... Expedition 33

My current GOTY is Expedition 33. However i haven't played KCD2 and Silksong yet

Death Stranding will definitely become BOTY. Which stands for most boring of the year.

Expedition 33 most definitely. Not only is it a great game, it is also by a new developer, and that's also going to win a couple of votes.

@pmanden: But Keightly wants to bum Kojima, he'll get DS2 nominated dont you worry. But yeah Expedition 33 for me at least is miles ahead of anything else even a dancing monkey from Nintendo.

On a side note, I hope Silksong gets nominated since its from an Aussie studio.

Never understood why gamers are so obsessed with GOTY. This applies to other entertainment too. Is it a need for validation?🤔

I can‘t make a GotY call until I play that 2D Terminator game and Kingmakers. All I know is that Donkey Kong game doesn't belong in the discussion from what I played.

Donkey Kong Bananza so far for me.