It’s that time of the year again, when the New York Game Awards are underway! Selected by the Video Games Critic’s Circle, 2025’s best titles are highlighted with various awards named after iconic landmarks from New York City.
With 2025 being one of gaming’s best years yet for quality releases, it was a competitive one. But here are the award winners from the NY Game Awards. And if you want to hear what all of us at Lords of Gaming think about 2025’s best titles, check out our own Golden Lance Awards!
Full List of Awards Winners
Here is the full list of winners at the 2026 New York Game Awards:
- Big Apple Award for Best Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game – Blue Prince
- Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game – Blippo+
- Statue of Liberty Award for Best World – Hades II
- Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game – South of Midnight
- Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game – Jennifer English as Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Excelsior Award for Best NY Game – Ball x Pit
- Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best AR/VR Game – Lumines Arise
- Central Park Children’s Zoo Award for Best Kids Game – Donkey Kong Bananza
- A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game – Is This Seat Taken?
- High Line Award for Best Remake – The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
- Chumley’s Speakeasy Award for Best Hidden Gem – News Tower
- NYC GWB Award for Best DLC – Lies of P: Overture
- Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism – People Make Games
- Andrew Yoon Legend Award Recipient – The Pokémon Company
Thoughts on the Winners
Looking over the list of award winners, I’m happy to see a variety of titles get the attention they deserve. Starting with the indie titles, games like Blue Prince and Ball x Pit receiving awards is amazing. They are experiences that struck a chord with those who gave them a chance.
Moving on to the other awards, South of Midnight receiving the Tin Pan Ally Award feels great. That game had one of the best musical scores of 2025, and its soundscape is a critical part of that game’s strong presentation.
The Expedition Factor
Lastly, even as someone who enjoyed Expedition 33, it was nice not seeing that title dominate the awards. While it deserves all the critical acclaim, it’s disappointing that so many quality titles are not rewarded for their efforts during the VGA 2025 awards show, while Expedition 33 received the majority of that night’s awards.
Still, Expedition 33 receiving the Great White Way and Big Apple Awards was a great way to end the New York Game Awards and cements Sandfall Interactive as the RPG studio to watch.
Closing Thought on the 2026 New York Game Awards
Seeing a rewards show in my own backyard is amazing. And pairing the awards show alongside an equally enjoyable GG Fest event cements the NY Game Awards as a strong way to kick off 2026.
