Cologne - Gamescom Award 2025: The award for the best games of 2025
Here are the gamescom award 2025 nominees – the race for the coveted trophies has begun! The winners will be announced live on August 22, 2025, at 3:00 PM (CEST)
An international jury of leading games journalists and content creators has selected the most promising and creative titles of the year from a wide range of submissions (Deutsch)
Cologne. Gamescom is the world's largest trade fair for computer games, and the gamescom award will once again filter out the most popular computer games. Gamescom fans and visitors can vote for their favorites from Wednesday, August 20, to Thursday, August 21, at 2:00 PM (CEST). The nominees for the gamescom award 2025 have been announced! An international jury of leading games journalists and content creators selected the most promising and creative titles of the year from a wide range of submissions. Highlights include multiple nominations: Resident Evil Requiem was nominated five times! Borderlands 4 and Desert Crimson are tied with four nominations each! Three nominations for Donkey Kong Bananza, Hela, and Mario Kart World! Scroll down to discover the categories and titles currently competing for the coveted Gamescom award!
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| Sprechende Schildkröte und Echse - Zeichnung: Helga Waess - Cover Kunst-Kultur-Blog |
The excitement is building – the nominees for the gamescom award 2025 have been selected by the jury!
A jury of gaming experts, together with the gaming community, will once again select the winners in 2025 in the coming days – every vote counts!
From Wednesday, August 20th, to Thursday, August 21st, at 2:00 PM (CEST), you can vote on the website https://www.gamescom.global/en/program/gamescom-award
The winners of the gamescom award will be announced live on August 22nd, 2025, at 3:00 PM (CEST)
Location: Stage in the gamescom Studio in Hall 7 and via livestream
A spectacular awards show will celebrate the WINNERS of the best games of the year!
In the ARTS category group,
Resident Evil Requiem from Capcom Entertainment stands out, being nominated in several categories, including Best Visuals, Best Audio, Best Gameplay, and Most Epic.
In the PLATFORM category group,
titles such as Borderlands 4 from Gearbox Software / 2K, Crimson Desert from Pearl Abyss, and Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree from Brownies Inc. / Bandai Namco Entertainment are competing for the awards.
The GLOBAL categories, expanded in 2025,
in addition to the HEART OF GAMING Award, offer new jury categories such as Best Lineup, Best Booth (Jury Award), and Best Business Booth. In the consumer categories of Best Trailer/Announcement and the newly created categories of Best Merch and Best Booth (Consumer Award), the community alone determines the winners.
Abstimmung für Fans und Besuchende der gamescom
Fans und Besuchende der gamescom konnten am Mittwoch, 20. August bis Donnerstag, 21. August um 14:00 Uhr (MESZ) für ihre Favoriten
- in den ARTS- und PLATFORM-Kategorien
- sowie in den Kategorien Best Booth (Consumer Award),
- Best Merch
- und Best Trailer/Announcement
Die Abstimmung erfolgt sowohl online über www.gamescom.global als auch vor Ort per QR-Code.
Die Gewinner:innen des gamescom awards werden am 22.08.2025 um 15 Uhr live bekannt gegeben
- – vor Ort auf der Bühne im gamescom studio in Halle 7
- und im Livestream.
Sei dabei, wenn die spektakuläre Award-Show startet und die besten Games des Jahres gekürt werden!
Voting for gamescom fans and visitors
Gamescom fans and visitors were able to vote for their favorites from Wednesday, August 20th untill today - Thursday, August 21st at 2:00 PM (CEST)
- in the ARTS and PLATFORM categories
- as well as in the Best Booth (Consumer Award),
- Best Merch
- and Best Trailer/Announcement categories.
Voting will take place both online at www.gamescom.global and on-site via QR code.
The winners of the gamescom awards will be announced live on August 22nd, 2025, at 3:00 PM
- – on-site on stage at the gamescom studio in Hall 7
- and via livestream.
Be there when the spectacular awards show begins and the best games of the year are chosen!
These are the nominees for the gamescom awards 2025:
ARTS category group:
Best visuals
- Borderlands 4 - Gearbox Software / 2K
- Bye Sweet Carole – Little Sewing Machine / Maximum Entertainment
- Crimson Desert – Pearl Abyss
- MIO: Memories In Orbit – Douze Dixièmes / Focus Entertainment
- Resident Evil Requiem – Capcom Entertainment
Best Audio
- Cairn – The Game Bakers
- Little Nightmares 3 – Supermassive Games / Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Phantom Blade Zero – S-Game
- Resident Evil Requiem – Capcom Entertainment
- Rockbeasts – Light Dog / Team17
Best gameplay
- Donkey Kong Bananza – Nintendo
- Hela – Windup / Knights Peak
- Mario Kart World – Nintendo
- PVKK: Planetary Defense Cannon Commander – Bippinbits / Kepler Interactive
- Resident Evil Requiem – Capcom Entertainment
Most entertaining
- Dispatch – AdHoc Studio
- Donkey Kong Bananza - Nintendo
- Grounded 2 – Obsidian Entertainment / Xbox Game Studios
- Hela – Windup / Knights Peak
- Mario Kart World – Nintendo
Most epic
- Crimson Desert – Pearl Abyss
- Dune: Awakening – Funcom
- Resident Evil Requiem – Capcom Entertainment
- Super Meat Boy 3D – Sluggerfly, Team Meat / Headup
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 – Saber Interactive / Focus Entertainment
Most Wholesome
- Hela – Windup / Knights Peak
- Is This Seat Taken? – Poti Poti Studio / Wholesome Games Presents
- Star Birds – Toukana Interactive
- Tiny Bookshop – neoludic games / Skystone Games, 2P Games
- Winter Burrow – Pine Creek Games / Noodlecake
Games for Impact
- Cairn – The Game Bakers
- Forever Skies – Far From Home
- Hollow Home – Twigames / Galaktus
- Monowave – Studio BBB
- Tiny Bookshop – neoludic games / Skystone Games, 2P Games
Category group PLATFORM:
Best Microsoft Xbox Game
- Borderlands 4 – Gearbox Software / 2K
- Crimson Desert – Pearl Abyss
- Grounded 2 – Obsidian Entertainment / Xbox Game Studios
- Little Nightmares 3 – Supermassive Games / Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Ninja Gaiden 4 – PlatinumGames, Team Ninja / Xbox Game Studios
Best PC Game
- Anno 117: Pax Romana – Ubisoft Mainz / Ubisoft
- Borderlands 4 – Gearbox Software / 2K
- PVKK: Planetenverteidigungskanonenkommandant – Bippinbits / Kepler Interactive
- Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree – Brownies inc. / Bandai Namco Entertainment
- World of Warcraft – Blizzard Entertainment / Activision Blizzard
Best Sony PlayStation Game
- Borderlands 4 – Gearbox Software / 2K
- Crimson Desert – Pearl Abyss
- Cronos: The New Dawn – Bloober Team
- Pragmata – Capcom Entertainment
- Resident Evil Requiem – Capcom Entertainment
Best Nintendo Switch 2 Game
- Donkey Kong Bananza – Nintendo
- Mario Kart World – Nintendo
- Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – Nintendo
- Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree – Brownies Inc. / Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Winter Burrow – Pine Creek Games / Noodlecake
Best Mobile Game
- Arknights: Endfield – Hypergryph / Gryphline
- Dungeon Clawler – Stray Fawn / Stray Fawn Publishing, Playworks
- Genshin Impact – HoYoverse
- Love and Deepspace – Papergames / Infold Games
- Servant of the Lake – Rusty Lake
Category group GLOBAL:
Best Lineup (Jury Award)
In the Best Lineup category, the company that particularly impresses the jury with its overall portfolio of presented titles will be honored.
Best Booth (Jury Award)
The award recognizes the booth that impresses with originality, innovation, and attention to detail. The prize goes to a booth that particularly stands out through the interplay of concept, design, and creative implementation.
Best Business Booth (Jury Award)
This category honors the most outstanding booth in the business area, which impresses with its original, innovative design and well-thought-out implementation. Creativity, attention to detail, innovation, and a lovingly designed presentation of the booth will be particularly evaluated.
HEART OF GAMING Award (Special Jury Prize)
All gamescom highlights are eligible for this special jury prize: In addition to games, expansion packs, and technologies, also individuals, institutions, companies, concepts, or terms.
Best Booth (Consumer Award)
This award recognizes the most impressive booth from the community's perspective. The award recognizes the booth that attracts the most attention, stands out through size, design, or fan engagement, and leaves the best overall impression with visitors.
A wide range of booths in the gamescom entertainment area are available for voting. Voting is open from Wednesday, August 20th to Thursday, August 21st, at 2 p.m.
Best Merch (Consumer Award)
The Best Merch category recognizes products that particularly impress with their creative design, originality, and a clear connection to the game or franchise.
Eligible for awards are, for example, exclusive gamescom items or innovative products that visitors enjoy using and displaying. Voting is open from Wednesday, August 20th to Thursday, August 21st, at 2 p.m.
Best Trailer / Announcement (Consumer Award)
The gamescom community votes for the coolest game trailer or the best new game announcement at gamescom.
All trailers and announcements shown during gamescom Opening Night Live were eligible for the award.
