The 2025 Gamescom awards celebrated a diverse line-up of indie and AAA games, highlighting titles expected to shape the industry in the coming years. The event, one of the world’s largest annual gaming expos, ran from 19 to 24 August in Cologne, Germany.
Resident Evil Requiem, developed by Capcom, stood out among the competition this year. It received awards for the most epic game, best visuals, best audio, and best Sony PlayStation game. Set in a post-apocalyptic city, the story combines survival horror with combat, puzzles, and exploration.
For the other platform-specific awards, the winners included:
- Mini co-op adventure Grounded 2 (Microsoft Xbox).
- Strategy builder Anno 117: Pax Romana (PC).
- Racing title Mario Kart World (Nintendo Switch 2).
- Romantic sci-fi roleplaying game Love and Deepspace (mobile).
Notably, indie title Hela claimed both the most entertaining and most wholesome awards for its cute mouse tale. Donkey Kong Bananza won the award for Best Gameplay, recognised for its action-packed platforming. Tiny Bookshop, a cosy story about a second-hand bookstore by the sea, received the Games for Impact category for its heartfelt storytelling and social themes.
2025 Gamescom award winners and nominees
Most Epic winner: Resident Evil Requiem
The Most Epic game is characterised by an unrivalled sense of grandeur, scope, and awe-inspiring experiences. This category brings together games that captivate players with epic narratives, breathtaking graphics, and intense gameplay, leaving a lasting impact that resonates long after the game is over. Nominees: Crimson Desert; Dune: Awakening; Resident Evil Requiem; Super Meat Boy 3D; and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.
Image of Resident Evil Requiem, courtesy Capcom.
Best Visuals winner: Resident Evil Requiem
Games in the Best Visuals category are characterised by outstanding graphics, aesthetic design, and impressive visual effects. The category recognises games that are visually impressive and provide a more immersive and captivating gaming experience. Nominees: Borderlands 4; Bye Sweet Carole; Crimson Desert; MIO: Memories In Orbit; and Resident Evil Requiem.
Best Audio winner: Resident Evil Requiem
The Best Audio category awards digital games that demonstrate outstanding achievements in sound design, including sound effects, dialogue, and musical composition, creating a particularly immersive audio experience. Nominees: Cairn; Little Nightmares 3; Phantom Blade Zero; Resident Evil Requiem; and Rockbeasts.
Best Gameplay winner: Donkey Kong Bananza
Games in the Best Gameplay category stand out for their exceptional player experience, which is both entertaining and challenging. It recognises games that offer innovative gameplay mechanics, smooth controls, and a balanced blend of challenge and enjoyment. Nominees: Donkey Kong Bananza; Hela; Mario Kart World; PVKK; and Resident Evil Requiem.
Most Entertaining winner: Hela
Titles submitted for this category excel in providing an engaging and entertaining gaming experience. This category recognises games that captivate and enthral players in special ways such as exciting storytelling, humorous elements, or captivating gameplay. Nominees: Dispatch; Donkey Kong Bananza; Grounded 2; Hela; and Mario Kart World.
Hela key art image, courtesy developer Windup.
Most Wholesome winner: Hela
Games submitted for the Most Wholesome category shine in creating a particularly positive and loving atmosphere, providing players with a sense of warmth and joy. These games are also distinguished by their inspiring stories, charming characters, and uplifting messages. Nominees: Hela; Is This Seat Taken?; Star Birds; Tiny Bookshop; and Winter Burrow.
Games for Impact winner: Tiny Bookshop
Games for Impact are titles that convey a significant social, political, or cultural message and contribute to raising awareness or promoting positive changes in society. These games harness the power of the medium to address socially relevant issues and encourage players to reflect and take action. Nominees: Cairn; Forever Skies; Hollow Home; Monowave; and Tiny Bookshop.
2025 platform-specific Gamescom awards
Some award categories are based on the platform for which games are developed: Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC, Sony PlayStation, or mobile platforms such as iOS and Android. Submissions are nominated by a jury, and the winners are determined through a combined vote of the jury and the community.
Best Microsoft Xbox Game winner: Grounded 2
Nominees: Borderlands 4; Crimson Desert; Grounded 2; Little Nightmares 3; and Ninja Gaiden 4.
Best PC Game winner: Anno 117: Pax Romana
Nominees: Anno 117: Pax Romana; Borderlands 4; PVKK; Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree; and World of Warcraft.
Best Sony PlayStation Game winner: Resident Evil Requiem
Nominees: Borderlands 4; Crimson Desert; Cronos: The New Dawn; Pragmata; and Resident Evil Requiem.
Best Nintendo Switch 2 Game winner: Mario Kart World
Nominees: Donkey Kong Bananza; Mario Kart World; Metroid Prime 4: Beyond; Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree; and Winter Burrow.
Best Mobile Game winner: Love and Deepspace
Nominees: Arknights: Endfield; Dungeon Clawler; Genshin Impact; Love and Deepspace; and Servant of the Lake.
2025 Gamescom global and consumer award winners
In addition to the main game categories, Gamescom presents awards that recognise exhibitors and creative contributions. Jury awards are decided by an independent panel of international experts, who evaluate submissions across seven criteria: graphics, gameplay, sound, innovation, entertainment, technological progress, and sales prospects.
Best Lineup (jury award) winner: Capcom Entertainment. This award honours the company with the most impressive overall portfolio of presented titles, as selected by the jury.
Best Trailer (consumer award) winner: Hollow Knight: Silksong. The Gamescom community votes for the best game trailer or announcement presented at Gamescom Opening Night Live.
Image of Hollow Knight: Silksong, courtesy developer Team Cherry.
Best Booth (jury award) winner: Anno 117: Pax Romana Hands-On Booth, and Ubisoft’s Community Lounge. This category recognises the booth that demonstrates outstanding originality, innovation, and attention to detail. The winner stood out for its strong combination of concept, design, and creative execution.
Best Business Booth (jury award) winner: Ubisoft’s Business Lounge. This award honours the most outstanding booth in the Business Area, recognised for its innovative design, creativity, and carefully executed presentation.
Heart Of Gaming Award (special jury award) winner: Gamescom Artist Area. This special jury award recognises any highlight of Gamescom, including games, technologies, people, institutions, companies, or concepts.
Best Booth (consumer award) winner: The Pokémon Company. The community selects the most striking booth at Gamescom for this award. The Pokémon Company won for a booth that attracted strong attention through its size, design, and fan engagement.
Best Merch (consumer award) winner: Star Birds Gacha Machine. This award celebrates merchandise items that stand out for their creative design, originality, and strong connection to the game or franchise.
* Visit the 2025 awards page on the Gamescom website here.
*Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and deputy editor of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Bluesky at @jas2bann.