The 26th annual Game Developers Choice Awards finalists have been announced, and, as expected, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leads the pack with eight nominations.
As part of the newly monikered GDC Festival of Gaming, the GDCA ceremony will take place at San Francisco’s Moscone Center on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the JRPG-inspired game from Sandfall Interactive, appears in almost every major category, earning an impressive eight nominations, including Best Narrative, Best Design, and the coveted Game of the Year award.
Sucker Punch sequel, Ghost of Yōtei, also has a big showing, with five nominations across multiple categories, including Game of the Year, Best Audio, and Best Narrative. The Game of the Year lineup is completed by Blue Prince, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Split Fiction.
Elsewhere, indie hits BALL X PIT, Blue Prince, and Dispatch join Expedition 33 in the Best Debut category.
I’m also pleased to see two of my favourite games of 2025, And Roger and Despelote, nominated in the Social Impact category, alongside Consume Me and Dispatch.
Here is the complete list of Game Developers Choice Awards finalists.
Game Developers Choice Awards nominees
Game of the Year
- Blue Prince (Dogubomb, Raw Fury)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive, Kepler Interactive)
- Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo EPD, Nintendo)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions, Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry)
- Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios, Electronic Arts)
Best Audio
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Rift of the NecroDancer (Brace Yourself Games, Tic Toc Games / Klei Publishing)
- South of Midnight (Compulsion Games / Xbox Game Studios)
Best Debut
- BALL X PIT (Kenny Sun & Friends / Devolver Digital)
- Blue Prince (Dogubomb / Raw Fury)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Dispatch (Adhoc Studio)
Best Design
- BALL X PIT (Kenny Sun & Friends / Devolver Digital)
- Blue Prince (Dogubomb / Raw Fury)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
- Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
Innovation Award
- BALL X PIT (Kenny Sun & Friends / Devolver Digital)
- Baby Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy / Devolver Digital)
- Blue Prince (Dogubomb / Raw Fury)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
Best Narrative
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Despelote (Julián Cordero, Sebastián Valbuena / Panic)
- Dispatch (AdHoc Studio)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
Best Technology
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
Best Visual Art
- Absolum (Guard Crush Games, Dotemu, Supamonks / Dotemu)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Hades II (Supergiant Games)
- Keeper (Double Fine Productions / Xbox Game Studios)
Social Impact
- And Roger (TearyHand Studio / Kodansha)
- Consume Me (Jenny Jiao Hsia)
- Despelote (Julián Cordero, Sebastián Valbuena / Panic)
- Dispatch (AdHoc Studio)
The Audience Award also returns, giving members of the public the opportunity to cast their vote for their favourite game. The Audience Award ballot opens on January 26 and closes on February 8. You can cast your vote here.
In a change from previous years, the Game Developers Choice Awards will be held on Thursday, March 12, at Moscone Center’s North Hall. The IGF Awards will be held the day before, on Wednesday, March 11.
Both events are open to all GDC passholders and will also be streamed live on the official GDC Twitch channel.
