The nominees for the 2025 Game Developers Choice Awards are here . This year , Astro BotandBlack Myth : Wukonglead the area , while indies like Animal Well made a large splash .

The Game Developers Choice Awards take place every year at GDC , directly following theIndependent Games Festivalawards show . While the latter is focused on indie games , the GDC laurels are more akin to The Game Awards , honoring a mix of AAA and independent games .

This class , Astro BotandBlack Myth : Wukongboth secured seven nominations . That make them both frontrunners for this twelvemonth ’s Game of the Year accolade . The field also includesBalatro , Helldivers 2,Final Fantasy VII Rebirth , andMetaphor : ReFantazio .

A few indie games broke through this year in a big way . Animal Wellis up for five awards , including Best Design , andUFO 50made it into the Innovation category . Critical darling1000xResistnabbed three nominations , including one for Best Narrative . Horror hitMouthwashingwill also compete for that award .

The ceremonial will live stream onGDC ’s Twitch channelon March 19

Best Audio

Honorable honorable mention : Balatro(LocalThunk / Playstack),Lorelei and the Laser Eyes(Simogo / Annapurna Interactive),Metaphor : ReFantazio(ATLUS / SEGA / Studio Zero),Neva(Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital),Silent Hill 2(Bloober Teams SA / KONAMI )

Best Debut

Honorable quotation : Manor Lords(Slavic Magic / Hooded Horse),Mullet Madjack(HAMMER95 / Epopeia Games),The Plucky Squire(All Possible Futures / Devolver Digital),Tiny Glade(Pounce Light )

Best Design

Honorable Mentions : Final Fantasy VII Rebirth(Square Enix),Helldivers 2(Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation Publishing LLC),Satisfactory(Coffee Stain Studios / Coffee Stain Publishing),The Legend of Zelda : echo of Wisdom(Grezzo , Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development / Nintendo),UFO 50(Mossmouth )

Innovation Award

honest Mentions : Helldivers 2(Arrowhead Game Studios / PlayStation Publishing LLC),Lorelei and the Laser Eyes(Simogo / Annapurna Interactive),Thank Goodness You ’re Here!(Coal Supper /Panic),The Plucky Squire(All Possible Futures / Devolver Digital ) , Tiny Glade ( Pounce Light )

Best Narrative

honourable Mentions : Final Fantasy VII Rebirth(Square Enix),Frostpunk 2(11 bit studios),Life is foreign : Double Exposure(Deck Nine Games / Square Enix),Neva(Nomada Studio / Devolver Digital),Senua ’s Saga : Hellblade II(Ninja Theory / Xbox Game Studios )

Best Technology

Honorable Mentions : animate being Well(Billy Basso/ Bigmode),Call of obligation : Black Ops 6(Threyarch , Raven Software , Beenox , High Moon Studios , Activision Shanghai , Sledgehammer Games , Infinity Ward , Demonware /Activision),Dragon Age : The Veilguard(BioWare / Electronic Arts),Satisfactory(Coffee Stain Studios / Coffee Stain Publishing),Tekken 8(Bandai Namco Studios Inc / Bandai Namco Entertainment )

Best Visual Art

Honorable Mentions : Balatro(LocalThunk / Playstack),Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree(FromSoftware Inc. / Bandai Namco Entertainment),Senua ’s Saga : Hellblade II(Ninja Theory / Xbox Game Studios),Tiny Glade(Pounce Light),Ultros(Hadoque / Kepler Interactive )

Social Impact

Honorable Mentions : Closer the Distance(Osmotic Studios / Skybound Games),Distant Bloom(Ember Trail / Kina Brave),Dragon Age : The Veilguard(BioWare / Electronic Arts),Tales of Kenzera : Zau(Surgent Studios / Electronic Arts )

Game of the Year

honest Mentions : Animal Well(Billy Basso / Bigmode),Like a flying lizard : Infinite Wealth(Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio / SEGA),Satisfactory(Coffee Stain Studios / Coffee Stain Publishing),UFO 50(Mossmouth )