New York Game Awards 2025 Winners: The Full List

New York Game Awards 2025 Winners

The New York Game Awards 2025 shone a spotlight on exceptional games and individuals in the industry. This year’s winners represent a diverse range of games, from blockbuster titles to smaller, independent gems. The awards ceremony honored creativity, innovation, and outstanding achievements in various categories.

Big Apple Award for Best Game of the Year

• Balatro
• Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
• Astro Bot – WINNER
• UFO 50
• 1000xResist
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Metaphor: ReFantazio
• EA Sports College Football 25

The Big Apple Award for Best Game of the Year was presented to Astro Bot, recognized for its innovative gameplay and captivating storytelling. Other highly-regarded nominees included Balatro, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, and UFO 50.

Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game

• Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
• Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
• Balatro
• I Am Your Beast
• UFO 50 – WINNER
• 1000xResist
• Thank Goodness You’re Here!
• Neva

The Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game went to UFO 50, praising its unique gameplay and independent spirit. Other indie titles vying for recognition included Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, and 1000xResist.

Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game

• Harold Halibut
• Metaphor: ReFantazio – WINNER
• 1000xResist
• Life is Strange: Double Exposure
• Phoenix Springs
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Metaphor: ReFantazio’s compelling narrative earned it the Herman Melville Award. Recognized for its sophisticated writing, the game stood out from other strong contenders like Harold Halibut and 1000xResist.

Statue of Liberty Award for Best World

• Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree – WINNER
• Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
• Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
• Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
• Astro Bot
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 Heart of Chornobyl

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s richly detailed and immersive world won the Statue of Liberty Award. The award highlighted the game’s unforgettable environments and engaging exploration.

Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game

• Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
• Life is Strange: Double Exposure
• Astro Bot – WINNER
• Arco
• Black Myth Wukong
• 1000xResist

Astro Bot’s soundtrack, composed by renowned musicians, was celebrated as the best of the year.

Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game

• Abubakar Salim as Zau, Zuberi and Griot Echo in Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
• John Eric Bentley as Barret in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
• Hannah Telle as Max Caulfield in Life is Strange: Double Exposure
• Melina Juergens as Senua in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
• Troy Baker as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – WINNER
• Humberly González as Kay in Star Wars Outlaws

Troy Baker’s portrayal of Indiana Jones was lauded as a masterful performance.

(Other categories follow the same format as above)

Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best AR/VR Game

• Thrasher
• Batman: Arkham Shadow – WINNER
• Umurangi Generation VR
• Skydance’s Behemoth
• Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire
• Shattered

Central Park Children’s Zoo Award for Best Kids Game

• Astro Bot – WINNER
• Super Mario Party Jamboree
• Little Kitty, Big City
• Sonic X Shadow Generations
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game

• Rabbids: Legends of the Multiverse
• Wuthering Waves
• Zenless Zone Zero – WINNER
• Ex Astris
• Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket

Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake

• Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered
• Silent Hill 2 – WINNER
• Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
• Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
• Age of Mythology: Retold
• Persona 3: Reload

Chumley’s Speakeasy Award for Best Hidden Gem

• Ultros
• Vampire Therapist
• Mouthwashing – WINNER
• Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story
• Mars After Midnight
• Starstruck: Hands of Time

NYC GWB Award for Best DLC

• Alan Wake II: Night Springs and The Lake House
• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown – Mask of Darkness
• Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree – WINNER
• Remnant 2: The Dark Horizon
• Splatoon 3: Side Order
• Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred

Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism

• Duncan Fyfe
• Alexis Ong
• Grant Stoner
• Mason Andrew Hamberlin
• Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
• Simone De Rochefort & Clayton Ashley – WINNER

Andrew Yoon Legend Award Recipient

• Sam Lake – Winner

The New York Game Awards 2025 celebrated excellence in gaming across various categories, recognizing the passion and dedication of the industry’s innovators and talents.