Expedition 33 Dominates the 2026 Game Developers Choice Awards Nominations
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leads the 2026 Game Developers Choice Awards with eight nominations, including Game of the Year, ahead of the March ceremony at GDC.
The award season momentum for Sandfall Interactive shows no signs of slowing down. Organizers for the GDC Festival of Gaming have officially dropped the nominations for the 26th annual Game Developers Choice Awards, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is leading the charge with an impressive eight nods, including a major slot for Game of the Year. Other heavy hitters making waves across multiple categories include Ghost of Yōtei trailing close behind with five nominations, alongside Blue Prince, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Split Fiction pulling in four each. Meanwhile, the internet favorite Hollow Knight: Silksong managed to secure a single, highly competitive nomination in the top category.
What makes the GDCA lineup distinct from your standard awards broadcast is the voting body itself. Every nominee and winner is selected directly by the International Choice Awards Network, which is made up of working game developers from across the industry. That peer-to-peer perspective often gives these specific awards a reputation for honoring craft and technical ambition above mainstream marketing muscle. Plus, the inclusion of an Audience Award means the community still gets a direct voice in the final outcome. Voting for that category opens on January 26 and runs through February 8.
For players looking to tune in, the ceremony will take place live on March 12 during the GDC Festival of Gaming in San Francisco. If you are not holding a conference pass, you will still be able to catch all the action via the official GDC Twitch channel. Whether you are deep into the creator streaming scene or just following the race for digital GOTY supremacy, this year's developer choice lineup offers a great snapshot of what pushed the medium forward over the last year. You can read the original reporting over at Polygon.
Tags: GDC 2026, Game Developers Choice Awards, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Industry News, Gaming Awards
Original article: Polygon