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The 7 Confirmed Titans: Predicting The Game Of The Year (GOTY) Nominees For 2025

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The 2025 Game of the Year (GOTY) race is shaping up to be a legendary battle, arguably the most stacked year for high-profile releases in the last decade. As of December 20, 2025, the industry has a shocking number of confirmed, highly-anticipated titles with locked-in release dates, setting the stage for a dramatic showdown at The Game Awards (TGA).

The year is defined not by speculation, but by certainty. With multiple genre-defining sequels and long-awaited new entries from legendary franchises all confirmed for a 2025 launch, predicting the final six nominees is less about wishful thinking and more about analyzing the sheer quality of the confirmed lineup. This is the definitive list of games that have secured their spot as the 2025 GOTY frontrunners.

The Confirmed 2025 GOTY Titans: A Guaranteed Nominee List

The following titles are not merely "anticipated"; they have firm 2025 release dates and represent the pinnacle of their respective genres, carrying immense pedigree and hype. They are the core of the 2025 Game of the Year discussion, spanning Action RPGs, cinematic epics, and beloved platformers.

  • Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
    • Developer: Kojima Productions
    • Director: Hideo Kojima
    • Genre: Action-Adventure, Strand Game
    • Confirmed Release: June 26, 2025 [cite: 1, 7 in step 2]
    • Platforms: PlayStation 5 (PS5)
  • Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
    • Developer: Retro Studios, Nintendo EPD
    • Protagonist: Samus Aran
    • Genre: First-Person Adventure, Action
    • Confirmed Release: December 4, 2025
    • Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
  • Monster Hunter Wilds
    • Developer: Capcom
    • Genre: Action RPG, Open-World
    • Confirmed Release: February 28, 2025 [cite: 3, 5, 9, 13, 15 in step 2]
    • Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
  • Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
    • Developer: Warhorse Studios
    • Protagonist: Henry
    • Genre: Open-World RPG, Historical Simulation
    • Confirmed Release: February 4-11, 2025 [cite: 2, 4, 6, 8, 11 in step 2]
    • Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
  • Hades II (v1.0 Full Release)
    • Developer: Supergiant Games
    • Protagonist: Melinoë
    • Genre: Roguelike, Dungeon Crawler
    • Confirmed Release: September 25, 2025
    • Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
  • Hollow Knight: Silksong
    • Developer: Team Cherry
    • Protagonist: Hornet
    • Genre: Metroidvania, Platformer
    • Confirmed Release: September 4, 2025
    • Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC

The Battle of the Early 2025 Blockbusters

The first quarter of 2025 alone is packed with three major contenders, making it an unprecedented start to the year. Historically, games released early in the year often struggle to maintain momentum by the time the awards season arrives in December, but the sheer quality of these titles is expected to defy that trend.

The fight between Monster Hunter Wilds and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II will be particularly fierce. Monster Hunter Wilds, from industry giant Capcom, promises a massive open-world evolution of the beloved Action RPG formula, capitalizing on the global success of its predecessor, Monster Hunter World [cite: 3, 5, 13 in step 2]. The series has a reputation for deep, satisfying gameplay loops and stunning visual fidelity.

Conversely, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II offers a highly ambitious, historically accurate Open-World RPG experience [cite: 4, 11 in step 2]. Warhorse Studios is expanding the scope of the original's compelling narrative and deep simulation mechanics. Its early February release gives it a critical window to establish its dominance before the mid-year rush, appealing directly to fans of grounded, choice-driven role-playing games.

Hideo Kojima vs. Nintendo: The Mid-to-Late Year Showdown

The second half of 2025 is dominated by auteur-driven experiences and a long-awaited return to a legendary franchise, creating a compelling narrative for the GOTY race.

Hideo Kojima’s Cinematic Epic: Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is a guaranteed nominee due to the pedigree of Kojima Productions and its director [cite: 1, 7 in step 2]. The first game was a divisive but critically acclaimed title, and the sequel promises to expand on the unique "Strand Game" genre with a more action-focused narrative and stunning visuals. Its June release positions it perfectly to generate buzz throughout the summer and fall.

The Return of Samus Aran: For Nintendo, the late-year release of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on December 4th is a massive play. After a development reset, the game's official reveal and confirmed date have generated a level of hype that few other titles can match. As the long-awaited sequel to one of the most beloved First-Person Adventure franchises, a high-quality launch could easily see it sweep the awards, especially with the rumored launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 platform.

The Independent Dark Horses and Major Delays

While the AAA titans will grab the headlines, the independent and AA scene is bringing two of the most anticipated sequels in gaming history, both confirmed for a September 2025 launch.

The Roguelike Contender: Hades II, from Supergiant Games, is set to leave Early Access and launch its full 1.0 version on September 25. The original Hades was a strong GOTY contender in its own right, and the sequel, which has already received stellar reviews in Early Access, is expected to deliver a masterpiece of storytelling and Roguelike mechanics. Supergiant's reputation for polish and narrative depth makes this a major threat to the AAA games.

The Metroidvania Masterpiece: Team Cherry's Hollow Knight: Silksong finally has a confirmed date of September 4, 2025. The sequel to Hollow Knight, considered by many to be the greatest Metroidvania ever made, has been a source of intense anticipation for years. Its release will dominate the conversation, and if it lives up to the hype, it has the critical mass to become an instant GOTY favorite.

The Elephant in the Room: GTA VI and Fable Delays

No discussion of 2025 is complete without mentioning the games that were expected to dominate but have since been confirmed for a later release. The two biggest disappointments for 2025 were the delays of Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI) and the new Fable title.

While GTA VI was initially rumored for a late 2025 window, the most recent and consistent reports suggest a delay to November 2026, pushing the Rockstar Games behemoth out of this year's competition. Similarly, the highly anticipated Open-World RPG Fable from Playground Games has also been officially delayed to 2026.

These major delays, however, only serve to highlight the incredible strength of the *confirmed* 2025 lineup. Without a clear frontrunner like GTA VI, the field is wide open, making the competition between Hideo Kojima, Nintendo, Capcom, and the indie giants like Supergiant and Team Cherry more intense and unpredictable than ever before. The 2025 Game of the Year award is truly anyone's to win.

The 7 Confirmed Titans: Predicting the Game of the Year (GOTY) Nominees for 2025
game of the year nominees 2025
game of the year nominees 2025

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