From Star Wars to Street Fighter, James Bond to Jason Momoa, Batman to Miss Piggy and more, this year's Game Awards proved one thing: video games are at the epicentre of entertainment.
Often dubbed 'the Oscars of gaming’, the event easily draws in millions of viewers on the night, and floods news feeds for weeks on end afterwards. Ultimately, it’s a night that celebrates all facets of gaming, including the past year of releases, and showcases performances, world premieres, previews, and everything else connected to the industry.
Taking place in the early hours of Friday morning, live from the Peacock theatre in Los Angeles, if you missed the live broadcast, here’s a taste of the magic that unfolded:
For Those Who Come After – Clair Obscur wins almost everything
With a record-breaking 12 nominations across 10 categories, all eyes were on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to see if the indie game could do the unthinkable and sweep the entire awards show.
And it almost did just that.
The game won 9 awards on the night, including Best Narrative, Best Game Direction, Best Score and Music, and the coveted Game of the Year. Clair's hard-earned success is undisputed, and many of its competitors had already admitted defeat before the awards ceremony even started.
Special kudos go to Jennifer English, who won the highly competitive Best Performance award for her role as Maelle, beating co-stars Ben Star and Charlie Cox to the post. In her acceptance speech, she dedicated the award to neurodivergent people who may feel like life is "stuck on hard mode" and thanked the gaming community and industry for "giving so many of us a home".
You can read our full review of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 here.
Star Wars set the tone for a night of exclusive previews
In the opening of the show, host Geoff Keighley promised an abundance of world exclusives and talked about the 'limitless future' of gaming. Well, he wasn't lying, as an endless list of new games were announced back to back throughout the broadcast, including not one but two surprise Star Wars games.
Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic is described as a single-player narrative-driven action RPG, and s spiritual successor to Knights of the Old Republic. Led by veteran developer Casey Hudson, it is currently in early development, though we can expect this game to steal the show at every future event it features at.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer was also announced. Tipped for launch in 2026, this game sees you take part in the Galactic League, an underground, unsanctioned racing circuit where no two runs are the same. Expect high-octane action and adrenaline galore.
New James Bond. New Batman. New Resident Evil. New Divinity.
There's plenty more to look forward to in 2026 and beyond. My advice? Clear your backlog now, while you can.
Highlights included Resident Evil Requiem, which debuted its 3rd official trailer, and finally confirmed the leaks that legendary agent Leon Kennedy is returning to the fold. Launching on February 27th, this could well be the new year’s first big gaming moment to experience (and scream at).
Fans were treated to the world premiere trailer of 007 First Light, including a sneak preview of the new Bond villain, Bawma, played by Lenny Kravitz. With a release date of March 26th, we can all safely assume this will be a major nominee at next year’s ceremony.
There was also an update on the upcoming LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, which unveiled a release date of May 29th. Capcom’s upcoming sci-fi action game PRAGMATA also dazzled on the night. Set for April 24th, there’s a playable demo available on Steam you can jump into right now.
And finally, the world got answers to what host Geoff Keighley explained was gaming’s "most controversial mystery": that hell-inspired statue. Randomly appearing in a desert last week, it has plagued the online community who've relentlessly guessed which new game it could possibly represent.
The answer? It teased the return of Larian Studios' home-grown fantasy series, Divinity. Judging by the gory trailer, the statue was bang on theme. Viewer discretion is advised with this one, folks.
The return of Lara Croft
As well as showcasing the future, The Game Awards somehow managed to rekindle our love for the past, most notably by announcing the long-overdue return of Lara Croft in not one, but two fantastic-looking games.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is set to release in 2026 and has been described as a 'reimagining' of the original 1996 Tomb Raider. From the jungles of Peru to the deserts of Egypt, gamers will be transported back to where it all began, but with a distinct, modern twist.
In contrast, Lara's second game, Tomb Raider: Catalyst, is a brand-new original adventure. While the trailer didn’t reveal too much of the story, the gameplay showcases Lara doing what Lara does best: parkouring over impossible ruins, climbing skyscraper mountains, whipping out guns, and avoiding imminent death at every turn. The slated 2027 release will be agonising to wait for.
Street Fighter Movie flexes a new trailer and a star-studded cast
With a string of live-action adaptations, it's clear that video games are in the driving seat when it comes to television and film. So many must-watch programmes like The Last of Us and Fallout originate from the gaming world. And in true Game Awards fashion, another hot contender is vying for our screen time: Street Fighter.
From Jason Momoa to Cody Rhodes and Orville Peck, the entire star-studded cast appeared on stage to hype the movie, remind us of the game's iconic roster of characters, and throw some playful shade at rival franchise Mortal Kombat in the process. The film is scheduled for release on October 16th, 2026.
Musical performances rocked out in Los Angeles.
The Game Awards were as much a celebration of music as they were of television and film. An exquisite performance of 'Une vie à t'aimer' from Clair Obscur set the tone for the evening, reminding us of the immense creativity found in the medium.
Grammy award-winning rock band Evanescence delivered a spine-chilling performance of their single "Afterlife" from the television adaptation of Devil May Cry. Season 2 of the hit show was confirmed just afterwards, with a release date of May 12th, 2026, on Netflix.
It goes without saying that the Game of the Year orchestral performance was (and will always be) a standout moment, managing to condense the magic of the last year and set the tone for the night’s most competitive award.
And finally, who could forget Miss Piggy, who bedazzled the event with her own tongue-in-cheek performance celebrating her newfound interest in all things gaming. She is proof that everyone, yes, everyone, is a gamer at heart.
Give it up in the chat for Miss Piggy and Rowlf the Dog! 👏👏@TheMuppets never let us down! #TheGameAwards pic.twitter.com/XY6VxHLiYa
— The Game Awards (@thegameawards) December 12, 2025
Surprise winners, including Grand Theft Auto 6 (again?)
Despite everyone admitting Clair was going to dominate the night, there were some surprises in store for the awards. The highly anticipated Players Voice award went to gacha game Wuthering Waves, representing the only loss for Clair. Expect this to ignite a bitter rivalry across social media in the coming days.
South of Midnight won Best Games for Impact, an award which highlights thought-provoking games with pro-social meaning or messages. Battlefield 6 won for Best Audio Design, while Baldur’s Gate 3 won for Best Community Support, adding to the mountain of awards Larian had already won since the game was released in 2023.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby is perhaps the most bizarre winner of the night, a game in which players recruit anime-style girls to compete like racehorses. Yes, really. It became a viral sensation earlier in the year and took home the Best Mobile Game award for its cookie efforts.
The only mention of Grand Theft Auto 6 came when it was named the winner for most anticipated game for a second year in a row. If the game is delayed into 2027, expect it to win again. And again. And again, until it finally does release.
In the end…there was only one true winner.
No matter how you frame it, this really was Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s night. The game has made history, and its status as a modern-day masterpiece is now secured.
Critically-acclaimed games like Ghost of Yotei, Death Stranding 2, Split Fiction and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II all went home empty-handed. In any other year, this would feel criminal. But 2025’s breakout star has redefined the industry in a seismic way. 2026 has mighty shoes to try and fill.
For a complete list of all winners and nominees, check out the Game Awards official website. You can also watch back over the entire awards ceremony on YouTube, social media, and Prime Video.
And for reviews of all the games featured, remember to check out RTÉ’s game section, including our list of Best Games of 2025.
