In a surprising turn of events, Megabonk has shifted its position at The Game Awards 2025. Initially withdrawing from the Best Indie Game category, Megabonk now finds itself in the spotlight as one of the 30 contenders vying for the Players’ Voice award, chosen by the fans.
Originally, Megabonk was nominated for the Best Debut Indie category, sharing the nominee list with titles such as Blue Prince, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Despelote, and Dispatch. However, developer Vedinad decided to withdraw their entry in mid-November, citing the reason that Megabonk did not truly qualify as a debut, given their history of previous game releases.
“It’s an honor and a dream for Megabonk to be nominated for TGA, but unfortunately, I don’t think it qualifies for the category ‘Debut Indie Game,” the developer explained. “I’ve made games in the past under different studio names, so Megabonk is not my debut game.”
The Game Awards creator Geoff Keighley responded to this withdrawal, confirming in a social media post that Megabonk would be removed from the category.
Not all was lost for Megabonk, as it re-emerged with a nomination in the publicly-voted Players’ Voice category. This section boasts 30 games, and the competition will be narrowed down through several voting rounds.
Rising Star in the Players’ Voice Category
Despite the initial setback, Megabonk’s journey continues as it competes against well-known titles like Death Stranding 2, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Arc Raiders, Battlefield 6, Hades 2, and Fortnite within the Players’ Voice category. Megabonk’s inclusion in this category reflects its ongoing popularity and fan support despite its early withdrawal from the debut category.
The Game Awards 2025 Players’ Voice Nominations
- Arc Raiders – Embark Studios
- Battlefield 6 – Battlefield Studios/EA
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach – Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Delta Force – Team Jade/TiMi Studio Group
- Dispatch – AdHoc Studio
- Donkey Kong Bananza – Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
- Doom: The Dark Ages – id Software/Bethesda Softworks
- Elden Ring Nightreign – FromSoftware/Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Final Fantasy XIV – Square Enix
- Fortnite – Epic Games
- Genshin Impact – HoYoverse
- Ghost of Yōtei – Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Hades II – Supergiant Games
- Helldivers 2 – Arrowhead Game Studios/Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Hollow Knight: Silksong – Team Cherry
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle – MachineGames/Bethesda Softworks
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II – Warhorse Studios/Deep Silver
- Mario Kart World – Nintendo EPD/Nintendo
- Marvel Rivals – NetEase Games
- Megabonk – Vedinad
- Ninja Gaiden 4 – Platinum Games/Team Ninja/Xbox Game Studios
- No Man’s Sky – Hello Games
- Peak – Aggro Crab/Landfall
- R.E.P.O. – Semiwork Studios
- Silent Hill f – NeoBards Entertainment/Konami
- Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – Sonic Team/Sega
- Split Fiction – Hazelight Studios/EA
- Warframe – Digital Extremes
- Wuthering Waves – Kuro Games
In a message of enthusiasm, Vedinad expressed their excitement on social media, stating, “WE’RE SO BACK. Megabonk is nominated for The Game Awards – Player’s Voice!! I withdrew my other nomination due to Megabonk not fitting the category, but with this new nomination we’re more back than ever. go vote pls.”
As a thrilling entry in the gaming world, Megabonk has garnered attention and praise. In a recent review, it was noted: “As far as survivors-likes go, this is a pretty strong one. I’d say it’s worth a look if you have an appetite for another one of these that isn’t basically just a Vampire Survivors reskin. I just wish there was a little more level variety.”