SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Industry peers have placed Team ASOBI’s cheerful platformer, Astro Bot, and Game Science’s visually stunning action-RPG, Black Myth: Wukong, at the forefront of the 25th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA) nominations. Both titles secured a leading seven nominations each, setting the stage for a compelling debate over the year’s best in a ceremony judged exclusively by the global game development community.

The nominations, announced ahead of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2025, highlight a year of extraordinary variety and quality across the industry, ranging from expansive AAA titles like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Helldivers 2 to the unexpected success of breakout indie darling Balatro and the meticulously crafted Animal Well. The dual frontrunners, Astro Bot and Black Myth: Wukong, exemplify contrasting strengths: the former showcasing mastery of innovative console technology and joyful platformer design, and the latter pushing the envelope in visual art and high-fidelity action RPG combat.

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A Tale of Two Titans: GDCA’s Dual Frontrunners

The equal nomination count for Astro Bot and Black Myth: Wukong in the GDCA is a fascinating reflection of what the professional development community values most. Both games are technical showcases, but in distinctly different ways.

• Astro Bot’s Excellence: Design and Technology

  Team ASOBI’s title earned its nominations through impeccable Game Design and a groundbreaking use of Best Technology and Best Audio. The game is widely celebrated for making the DualSense controller a core part of its platforming mechanics, delivering a new standard in haptic feedback and controller immersion. Its nominations in Innovation Award and Game of the Year acknowledge its success in modernizing the classic 3D platformer genre with technical artistry.

• Black Myth: Wukong’s Visual and Narrative Power

  Game Science’s soulslike, based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, is a frontrunner in Best Visual Art, Best Technology, and Best Narrative. The sheer scale and fidelity of its monster and environment design, combined with a focus on delivering a high-quality Wukong action game experience, have resonated deeply with developers. Its dual nominations in Visual Art and Technology confirm its status as a major achievement in the Unreal Engine 5 ecosystem.

The contest between these two games in the Game of the Year category represents a classic awards dilemma: rewarding the sheer joy and mechanical genius of a new-era platformer versus the breathtaking, high-fidelity spectacle of a new international AAA contender.

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The Rise of the Indies and the AAA Contenders

While the two frontrunners drew the most attention, the overall GDCA nomination list showcases a broader tapestry of success, emphasizing innovation across all budget levels.

• Indie Breakouts: The inclusion of Balatro and Animal Well in major categories, including Game of the Year, is a powerful statement. Balatro, a roguelike deck-builder, is nominated for Best Debut, Best Design, and Innovation Award, highlighting the industry’s respect for mechanically perfect, low-cost titles. Animal Well secured five nominations, primarily for its meticulous Design and atmospheric Visual Art, proving that unique execution can trump massive budgets.
• Strong AAA Showing: RPGs also performed well. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth secured a Game of the Year nod, celebrating its scope and storytelling. Metaphor: ReFantazio was recognized for Best Narrative and Visual Art, demonstrating the continued strength of Japanese RPGs. Furthermore, the surprising co-op hit Helldivers 2 received nominations for its Technology and a coveted Game of the Year spot, acknowledging its massive commercial and critical success in the live-service multiplayer genre.

Developer Perspective:

“The Game Developers Choice Awards are unique because the votes come from the very people who understand the blood, sweat, and tears that go into making games. The high nomination count for games like Astro Bot and Balatro—titles with exceptionally polished design and novel mechanics—shows that developers prize craft and innovation above all else. Black Myth: Wukong’s recognition in Visual Art and Tech is a testament to the global talent pool achieving AAA spectacle.”

The GDCA’s selection confirms that the industry’s highest honors are open to diverse genres, rewarding technical excellence, creative design, and compelling narratives, regardless of a game’s budget or market size. The full list of nominees, which also includes nods for Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II and 1000xRESIST, underscores the unparalleled depth of quality in the 2024 gaming calendar.

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