Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Leads Game Developers Choice Awards 2026 Nominations

The 26th annual Game Developers Choice Awards has unveiled its list of finalists, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 garnering an impressive eight nominations across nine distinct categories. The turn-based RPG, developed by Sandfall Interactive, is a contender for the coveted Game of the Year award, competing against other notable titles such as Hollow Knight: Silksong, Blue Prince, Donkey Kong Bananza, Split Fiction, and Ghost of Yōtei. Ghost of Yōtei received a total of five nominations, including Best Narrative, Best Audio, Best Visual Art, and Best Technology. Donkey Kong Bananza trailed closely behind with four nominations, while Death Stranding 2: On the Beach secured three category recognitions. The finalists were carefully selected by the esteemed International Choice Awards Network, an exclusive organization comprising leading game creators. The GDCA ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 12, during the GDC Festival of Gaming at San Francisco's Moscone Convention Center, which will run from March 9 to March 13, 2026. The 28th annual Independent Games Festival awards ceremony will be held on March 11, with both events available for free streaming on Twitch. A comprehensive list of nominations includes: Game of the Year: Blue Prince, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Donkey Kong Bananza, Ghost of Yōtei, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Split Fiction. The Best Debut category features Ball x Pit, Blue Prince, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Dispatch. The Best Narrative category includes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Despelote, Dispatch, Ghost of Yōtei, and Split Fiction. The Best Design category comprises Ball x Pit, Blue Prince, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Split Fiction. The Best Visual Art category recognizes Absolum, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Ghost of Yōtei, Hades 2, and Keeper. The Best Audio category features Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Ghost of Yōtei, Rift of the NecroDancer, and South of Midnight. The Best Technology category includes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza, Ghost of Yōtei, and Split Fiction. The Innovation Award category recognizes Ball x Pit, Baby Steps, Blue Prince, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Donkey Kong Bananza. The Social Impact Award category features And Roger, Consume Me, Despelote, and Dispatch.