Dragon Age: The Veilguard has claimed a narrow lead in the nomination stakes going into the 2025 Gayming Awards, including a coveted place on an incredibly close Game of the Year list. Still, the show’s stars-in-waiting appear to be some truly spectacular indie titles, which have long deserved their time in the limelight.
The fifth annual Gayming Awards, which will be broadcast on July 8 via WOW Presents Plus following an exclusive deal announced earlier this year, celebrates excellence in LGBTQ+ video games and queer representation in the industry.
The Veilguard is one of six titles nominated for Game of the Year, and it’ll duke it out with Dragon’s Dogma 2, Life is Strange: Double Exposure, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, and the fantastic Fear The Spotlight. It’s also shortlisted for the Gayming Magazine Readers’ Award and Best LGBTQ+ Character, with lead character Rook earning a nomination.
It’s also a great year for indies, with the superb Sorry We’re Closed and Caravan SandWitch among smaller-studio hopefuls going into the ceremony.
Last year, Baldur’s Gate 3 unsurprisingly claimed the biggest award of the night, while Thirsty Suitors rightly took home the Authentic Representation and Best LGBTQ Indie Game awards.
Gayming Awards 2025 nominees in full
Game of the Year
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard
- Dragon’s Dogma 2
- Fear the Spotlight
- The Last of Us Part II Remastered
- Life is Strange: Double Exposure
- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Gayming Magazine Readers’ Award
- Caravan SandWitch
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard
- Dragon’s Dogma 2
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- The Last of Us Part II Remastered
- Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Industry Diversity Award
- Blizzard Entertainment
- Code Coven
- Limit Break
- Rare
Community Impact Award
- Boston Gaymers
- Charlotte Gaymers Network
- NYC Gaymers
- QueerVox
- The*gamehers
- Stream for a Cause
Best LGBTQ+ Character
- Bazz (Concord)
- Micah-10 (Destiny 2: The Final Shape)
- Michelle (Sorry We’re Closed)
- Rook (Dragon Age: The Veilguard)
- Venture (Overwatch 2)
- Vivian (Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door)
Best LGBTQ+ Indie Game
- Beloved Rapture
- Caravan SandWitch
- Fear the Spotlight
- Kitsune Tails
- Sorry We’re Closed
- Tavern Talk
LGBTQ+ Voice Actor of the Year
- Ciarán Strange
- Erika Ishii
- JP Karliak
- Katie Cofield
- Kieran Regan
- Mila Jam
LGBTQ+ Content Creator of the Year
- ChiChi
- Ctrlaltquin
- DataDave
- GaymerONE1
- halfmoonjoe
- Juice Boxx
- Negaoryx
- PearlTeese
Best LGBTQ+ Contribution to Esports
- Bailey McCann
- Queer Women of Esports
- SonicFox
- Steve Arhancet
LGBTQ+ Geek Entertainment of the Year
- Agatha All Along – Marvel Studios
- Arcane: Season 2 – Netflix
- Hazbin Hotel – SpindleHorse Toons / Amazon Studios
- Heartstopper – Netflix
- Interview with the Vampire: Season 2 – AMC
- The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Dead by Daylight – Shudder
Public voting is now open in four categories, including the Readers’ Award, Content Creator of the Year, Geek Entertainment of the Year, and Community Impact Award. Winners of the yet-unannounced Gayming Icon and LGBTQ+ Streamer Rising Star Class of 2025 will be revealed closer to the event, at some point in June.