Nominations begin for the 2025 Steam Awards

What will you be voting for?

I actually had to make a couple shots in the dark because I have not played that many games from 2025 😅

2024 and 2023 though? Very good 😙👌

What will you be voting for?

The Drifter

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1170570/The_Drifter/

I stopped voting in these a while back. I just don't see why it matters. Why does anyone care what the game of the year is? Whats the incentive? I'd rather spend my time playing the games than care about who gets what award.

It's the feel of being part of something, and potentially giving an extra bonus to games you especially enjoyed.

Since the most recent game I got was already two years old when I purchased it (Stray), this really doesn't mean much to me.

Quoting: Tethys84I stopped voting in these a while back. I just don't see why it matters. Why does anyone care what the game of the year is? Whats the incentive? I'd rather spend my time playing the games than care about who gets what award.

Sharing your nominations with friends, comparing them and maybe find games you haven't considered playing before. It's basically a quick and easy way to recommend games to others

My Votes (so far), using games that I played, either full or in demos, and trying to keep a different one in each category to maximise the total number of recommended games:

• Game of the Year Award: [Hollow Knight: Silk Song](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1030300?snr=1_steamawards_nominations_)


• VR: skipped


• Labor of Love Award: [Soulash 2](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2399160?snr=1_steamawards_nominations_) but I might change for [Surroundead](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1645820/SurrounDead/)


• Best Game on Steam Deck Award: [Necesse](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1169040?snr=1_steamawards_nominations_)


• Better With Friends Award: [Jump Space](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1757300?snr=1_steamawards_nominations_)


• Outstanding Visual Style Award: [Absolum](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1904480?snr=1_steamawards_nominations_)


• Most Innovative Gameplay Award: [Mudbourne](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2355150?snr=1_steamawards_nominations_)


• Best Game You Suck At Award: [Cyber Knights](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1021210?snr=1_steamawards_nominations_)


• Best Soundtrack Award: [Tempest Rising](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1486920?snr=1_steamawards_nominations_)


• Outstanding Story-Rich Game Award: [Promise Mascot Agency](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2585830?snr=1_steamawards_nominations_)


• Sit Back and Relax Award: [Cast and Chill](https://store.steampowered.com/app/3483740?snr=1_steamawards_nominations_)

Have not played Clair Obscure, Dispatch, Abiotic Factor which would change the list.

Quoting: CyberwormSharing your nominations with friends, comparing them and maybe find games you haven't considered playing before. It's basically a quick and easy way to recommend games to others

A good example is the recommendation that was made by Eike - The Drifter. There have been two articles on GoL recommending this game. I read them, but the game did not click (pun intended) with me. After reading his recommendation, I decided to purchase the game. I enjoy the point and click genre, it is native Linux, works great on the Steam Deck and is on sale. Without reading this article, I would not have made the purchase.

I submitted Factorio for Labor of Love. That is all.

Whats the incentive?

Free XP for profile leveling, if you're into that sort of thing.

Quoting: nullzeroMy Votes (so far)...

Sit Back and Relax Award: [Cast and Chill](https://store.steampowered.com/app/3483740?snr=1_steamawards_nominations_)

When I saw the award category "Sit Back and Relax Award", Cast and Chill immediately came to mind. With the word "Chill" in the title, how can it not be nominated? I have almost 60 hours relaxing with this game.

I have over 75 hours in Necesse. I nominated this game for the "Better With Friends Award." I recently rented a server from Shockbyte so my son (who lives in another state), two grandsons and I could play together. We have built quite a settlement over the last few weeks. I would highly recommend this game to anyone that enjoys open-world, base-building, survival, adventure games (e.g., Minecraft or Terraria).

I have also played Mudborne. I got somewhat discouraged when the genetic breeding of frogs came into play. I had the same problem with TNgineers first game, APICO. I get easily overwhelmed by all the possible combinations.

Thank you for the detailed listing of your nominations nullzero!

Quoting: WorMzyI submitted Factorio for Labor of Love. That is all.

RimWorld (coincidentally also crowdfunded in 2013). Though it was a hard choice between that and Stellaris. My two favorite war crime simulators.

I just voted Megabonk for all categories except VR because I was in a hurry to play it.

Vote Castle Crashers for Labor of Love!

Normally I don't cheerlead for shit like this, but I like The Behemoth people. They genuinely seem cool and it's a great game too.

I also mainly voted for the badge. Cause I would've in years past had I known that you got one. lol

My picks:

GOTY: Digimon Story Time Stranger (DSTS)
VR GOTY: Assetto Corsa Rally (ACR)
Labour of Love: X4 Foundations
Best on Deck: DSTS
Friends: ACR
Visual Style: Stories from Sol The Gun-Dog
Gameplay: ACR
Game I Suck At: ACR
Soundtrack: DSTS
Story: DSTS
Relax: Seeds of Calamity

As you can see, there were two games released this year which I really like and I wear my heart on my sleeve.

Quoting: Cyberworm

Quoting: Tethys84I stopped voting in these a while back. I just don't see why it matters. Why does anyone care what the game of the year is? Whats the incentive? I'd rather spend my time playing the games than care about who gets what award.

Sharing your nominations with friends, comparing them and maybe find games you haven't considered playing before. It's basically a quick and easy way to recommend games to others

I don't have friends. But I can't imagine I'd care even if I did. You'd think that gamer friends of a gamer would know about all these games too.


Last edited by Tethys84 on 26 Nov 2025 at 3:42 pm UTC

My labor of love game... again... No Man's Sky


Last edited by Corben on 26 Nov 2025 at 3:50 pm UTC