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TheCanadian Game Awardshas officially coronate its Game of the Year 2025 during its February 15 livestream and in - somebody upshot . The annual honor observance spotlights and celebrate the game developer , content Maker , professional role player and more , who are all contribute to the develop Canadian games diligence .
take seat both onTwitchand live at the TIFF Lightbox , this year’sCanadian Game AwardscrownedBalatroas its Game of the Year 2025 . While the candidate for the GOTY category demo some tough competition , Balatrois a well - deserve winner . One of 2024 ’s best games - and with aMetacriticscore of 90 -the Canadian secret plan ’s impact on the industry and its players ca n’t be ignored . Developer LocalThunk ended upscooping a total of five awardsduring CGA , including Studio of the Year and Best Debut Studio .
Who Were The Game Of The Year Nominees?
The Nominees, Explained
While the Canadian Game Awards recognized plentitude of studio , developers , pioneer , and experts in game - along with some of the full AAA and indie releases of the last year - the Game of the Year award showdown was of picky note . Six of the bold , brightest , and most exciting releases of 2024 went head - to - head for the accolodate , in the end go toBalatro .
Canadian Game Awards father Carl - Edwin Michel discusses how the event has evolved , master of ceremonies Naomi Kyle , and what fans can expect from the big night .
Firstly , we had the visually arresting metroidvaniaBIOMORPH , a challenging release from Lucid Dream Studio that has a free demo on Steam . Next wasLil Guardsmanfrom Hilltop Studios , a deduction adventure with an art style for fans of Saturday forenoon cartoons . Meanwhile , the Montreal - setÉtéisa must - play thanks to its stunning beautiful painting - brought - to - living visuals , while1000xRESISTis a sci - fi escapade with an impressiveMetacriticscore of 84 . last , Dragon Age : The Veilguardwas one of the standout RPGs of 2024 , whichScreenRantawarded a 9/10 to .
Balatro Is A Well-Deserving Winner
Setting A High Bar For The Next Canadian Game Awards
WinnerBalatrotook the play mankind by storm when it released last year , and is well worth wager thanks to its unique gameplay . Described as a " poker roguelike " that really develops on classic deckbuilding mechanics , it ’s knockout not to see just what developer LocalThunk attain with this wonderfully addictive indie precious stone .
What ’s perhaps even more telling than its gameplay is the fact that LocalThunk - from Saskatchewan , Canada - is the solo developer behindBalatro , making this GOTY win an even more telling achievement for the relatively newfangled Divine . While we do n’t bonk what ’s coming next from LocalThunk , we hope we ’ll see him again at the nextCanadian Game Awards .
