In a major victory decided by the gaming community, Hollow Knight: Silksong has been crowned the Game of the Year at the 2025 Steam Awards. The highly anticipated sequel from Team Cherry emerged victorious over a strong field of contenders, including the critically acclaimed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
A Player-Powered Verdict
The annual Steam Awards are unique in being voted on entirely by the platform's users, offering a direct snapshot of player sentiment. For the 2025 edition, Valve's platform received a staggering 43.8 million votes across eleven distinct categories. This makes the win for Silksong a significant endorsement from the PC gaming community.
While Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 enjoyed a sweep at other industry ceremonies like The Game Awards, it was Team Cherry's Metroidvania that captured the top prize on Steam. The Game of the Year category featured fierce competition from Arc Raiders, Dispatch, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
Multiple Honours and Notable Winners
Hollow Knight: Silksong didn't stop at one award. The game also clinched the Best Game You Suck At award, a humorous category celebrating challenging titles, beating out rivals like Elden Ring Nightreign and Where Winds Meet.
Other notable winners from the 2025 Steam Awards include:
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for Best Soundtrack.
- Baldur's Gate 3 claiming the Labor of Love award for best ongoing game.
- Hades 2 as Best Game on Steam Deck.
- Silent Hill f winning for Outstanding Visual Style.
- Arc Raiders taking the prize for Most Innovative Gameplay.
It's important to note that as platform-specific awards, major console exclusives like Donkey Kong Bananza and Ghost of Yōtei were not in the running.
Looking Ahead: More Content and Future Ceremonies
The accolades for Silksong arrive with news of more content to come. Team Cherry has confirmed a free DLC expansion titled Sea of Sorrow, scheduled for release in 2026. The add-on promises to let players "voyage across and beneath the salt-stricken seas."
While the Steam Awards have wrapped up, the 2025 awards season continues. The industry's eyes now turn to the D.I.C.E. Awards on February 12 and the BAFTA Games Awards in April 2026. Whether Silksong can continue its winning streak or Clair Obscur will reclaim the spotlight remains to be seen.
The full list of 2025 Steam Awards winners serves as a powerful testament to the diverse and high-quality titles that defined the previous year in PC gaming, directly chosen by the millions who play them.
