Balatro Draws “Game of the Year” Honors at the 2024-2025 GDC Awards

It was a tale of two games last night in San Francisco at the 2024-2025 Game Developers Choice Awards. As they’ve done throughout awards season, Team Asobi’s Astro Bot was competing head-to-head with Localthunk’s Balatro in most categories, including “Game of the Year”.

Astro Bot was victorious at The Game Awards and the DICE Awards, but the little automaton couldn’t go three-for-three as Balatro won “Game of the Year” at this year’s GDC Awards. The poker roguelike also went all in to collect the “Innovation Award”, “Best Design”, and “Best Debut”.

But don’t worry, Team Asobi didn’t go home empty handed last night. Astro Bot was the only other game to win multiple awards as it took home two statuettes for “Best Technology” and “Best Audio”.

The rest of the ceremony spread a handful of awards among some of 2024’s most acclaimed titles including Black Myth: Wukong (“Best Visual Art”), Metaphor: ReFantazio (“Best Narrative”), Life Is Strange: Double Exposure (“Social Impact Award”), and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (“Audience Award”).

Balatro has reshuffled awards season with the BAFTAs still ahead of us, and it’ll be interesting to see if it and Astro Bot can continue their winning ways in London.

A complete list of all the nominees and winners from the 2024-2025 GDC Awards, as well as a short video montage of the winners, can be found after the break.

Game of the Year

• WINNER: Balatro
• Astro Bot
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Helldivers II
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
• Metaphor: ReFantazio

Honorable Mentions
Animal Well, Helldivers II, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Satisfactory, UFO 50

Best Design

• WINNER: Balatro
• Animal Well
• Astro Bot
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Lorelai and the Laser Eyes

Honorable Mentions
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Helldivers II, Satisfactory, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, UFO 50

Best Visual Art

• WINNER: Black Myth: Wukong
• Animal Well
• Astro Bot
• Metaphor: ReFantazio
• Neva

Honorable Mentions
Balatro, Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Tiny Glade, Ultros

Best Narrative

• WINNER: Metaphor: ReFantazio
• 1000xResist
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
• Mouthwashing

Honorable Mentions
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Frostpunk 2, Life Is Strange: Double Exposure, Neva, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Best Audio

• WINNER: Astro Bot
• Animal Well
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Honorable Mentions
Balatro, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Neva, Silent Hill 2

Best Technology

• WINNER: Astro Bot
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Helldivers II
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
• Tiny Glade

Honorable Mentions
Animal Well, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Satisfactory, Tekken 8

Innovation Award

• WINNER: Balatro
• Animal Well
• Astro Bot
• Black Myth: Wukong
• UFO 50

Honorable Mentions
Helldivers II, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Thank Goodness You’re Here!, The Plucky Squire, Tiny Glade

Social Impact Award

• WINNER: Life Is Strange: Double Exposure
• 1000xResist
• Astro Bot
• Frostpunk 2
• Neva

Honorable Mentions
Closer the Distance, Distant Bloom, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Tales of Kenzera: Zau

Best Debut

• WINNER: Balatro
• 1000xResist
• Animal Well
• Pacific Drive
• Tiny Glade

Honorable Mentions
Manor Lords, Mullet Madjack, The Plucky Squire, Tiny Glade

Audience Award

• WINNER: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Lifetime Achievement Award

• WINNER: Sam Lake

Pioneer Award

• WINNER: Lucas Pope