Shroud Calls Out the Game Awards 2025 as “Rigged,” says the World Isn’t Ready for AI in Games
The end-of-year controversy in the gaming world heats up as popular streamer Shroud claims The Game Awards 2025 is “rigged.” His frustration came after Arc Raiders, the game he believes deserves Game of the Year (GOTY), failed to secure a major nomination. Shroud pointed to the game’s AI-generated voice acting as a possible reason, stating, “The world isn’t ready for AI in video games.” His comments have sparked widespread debate, especially after Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 broke the nomination record with 12 nods.
Before the Awards: Nomination Shockwaves
When the nominations were announced, fans noticed a huge gap between contenders. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from Sandfall dominated with 12 nominations, while Arc Raiders from Embark Studios only earned one nomination for Best Multiplayer competing with titles like Battlefield 6, Elden Ring: Nightreign, Peak, and Split Fiction.
The GOTY nominees are:
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Hades 2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Shroud, a former CS:GO pro and streamer with over 18 million followers, rallied fans to vote for Arc Raiders, noting that multiplayer-focused games often get overlooked on major awards.
AI Controversy and Fairness Questions
Watching the final nominations, Shroud immediately expressed doubt on his stream that Arc Raiders missed GOTY due to its AI voice acting. He added, “The world isn’t ready for AI in video games. They’re just not… I even think the game might not have been nominated at all because people feared backlash.”
He didn’t hold back, calling this year’s results “another rigged year” and questioning why Arc Raiders was snubbed for Best Audio Design despite praise for its sound. Shroud also criticized Donkey Kong Bananza’s GOTY nod, asking, “Who even plays Donkey Kong Bananza? No one. This is insane.”
Despite his criticisms, he acknowledged Expedition 33 as a likely winner, hoped Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 could pull off an upset, and predicted Arc Raiders might still snag Best Multiplayer, while Battlefield 6 would likely take Best Action. He has previously dismissed voting in The Game Awards as meaningless, claiming, “No award has ever felt truly fair.”
The Official Take
Geoff Keighley, founder of The Game Awards, continues using a hybrid voting system combining media, influencers, and global fan votes. While he considered fully fan-based voting, he remains cautious of “social engineering,” or coordinated voting campaigns.
The Game Awards 2025 will take place on December 11, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. PT (December 12, 2025, 9:00 a.m. in Singapore/Manila).
Reference: ign
