The poker roguelike game Balatro has been named Game of the Year at the 2025 Canadian Game Awards, taking home a total of five awards during the ceremony.
The annual event, which took place both online via Twitch and in-person at the TIFF Lightbox, celebrates the achievements of game developers, content creators, and esports professionals who contribute to Canada’s growing gaming industry.
Balatro, developed by Saskatchewan-based solo developer LocalThunk, beat out five other nominees for the top prize. The game, which combines poker mechanics with roguelike elements, has been praised for its addictive gameplay and unique approach to deck-building. With a Metacritic score of 90, it’s widely considered one of the best games of 2024. The game was also nominated at The Game Awards and was honored with the GOTY award at the inaugural Indie Game Awards. To date, it has got over 28 GOTY awards, placing it just behind Astro Bot (110), and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (38), according to various GOTY trackers.
LocalThunk didn’t just win Game of the Year – the studio also took home awards for Best Game Design, Best Debut Indie Game, Best Debut Studio, and Studio of the Year, making it the biggest winner of the night.
The other Game of the Year nominees included the metroidvania BIOMORPH from Lucid Dream Studio, the deduction adventure Lil Guardsman from Hilltop Studios, the visually stunning Été from Impossible, the sci-fi adventure 1000xRESIST from Sunset Visitor, and the role-playing game Dragon Age: The Veilguard from BioWare.
While Balatro dominated the awards, other games also received recognition. Dragon Age: The Veilguard won three awards: Best Score/Soundtrack, Best Narrative, and Best Audio Design. 1000xRESIST took home the award for Best Art Direction.
The Canadian Game Awards also honored individuals in the gaming industry. Humberly González won Best Performance for her role in Star Wars: Outlaws, while popular streamer Pokimane was named Best Content Creator.
Other Award Winners
Below is a list of key awards and their winners:
- Best Art Direction: 1000xRESIST (Sunset Visitor)
- Best Game Design: Balatro (LocalThunk)
- Best Score/Soundtrack: Dragon Age: The Veilguard (BioWare)
- Best Narrative: Dragon Age: The Veilguard (BioWare)
- Best Performance: Humberly González (Star Wars: Outlaws)
- Best Audio Design: Dragon Age: The Veilguard (BioWare)
- Best Technology/Innovation: Homeworld 3 (Blackbird Interactive)
- Best Debut Indie Game: Balatro (LocalThunk)
- Best Debut Studio: LocalThunk (Balatro)
- Most Innovative Studio: BioWare (Dragon Age: The Veilguard)
- Best Esports Player: Sarah_frags
- Best Esports Organization: Toronto Ultra
- Best Esports Event: Call of Duty League: Stage 3 Major
- Best Content Creator/Show: Pokimane
- Studio of the Year: LocalThunk
With another successful year in the books, the Canadian Game Awards remains a key event for recognizing and promoting excellence in gaming.
Source: ScreenRant
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