Arc Raiders Misses GOTY 2025 Nomination, Shroud and xQc Voice Frustration

Arc Raiders missing out on a Game of the Year nomination has become one of the most talked-about moments of this 2025 award season. No doubt, there are omissions in Game of the Year nominations every year, but this one really surprised a larger portion of the community. Not that Arc Raiders is without flaws, but more because the buzz, numbers, and reception it achieved made it a strong contender for the Game of the Year 2025.

Arc Raiders Missing GOTY Nomination Despite Strong Numbers Surprises Fans

Just days before the nomination list was released, the game was breaking its own records. According to SteamDB, Arc Raiders hit a record peak of 481,966 concurrent players on Nov. 16, which was an improvement over its previous record of 462,488 concurrent players. This is also not a small accomplishment, especially given the large number of blockbuster releases this year.

Many anticipated that the arrival of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 would halt some of the hype, but quite the opposite occurred. While Black Ops 7 recorded a peak of approximately 100,332 concurrent players on the same day as Arc Raiders, the latter surpassed all competition and positioned itself in the top 25 most-played Steam titles since statistics were made available. For many longtime players, the discussion even sparked nostalgia similar to debates seen in our Best Original Xbox Games That Still Hold Up Today roundup.

This is one of the main reasons many were upset about the lack of a GOTY nomination. Many players on Reddit and other social platforms, like X, indicated that it had a higher concurrent player base than other major franchises this year, reiterating the entitlement for a nomination on a mainstream stage.

Shroud Says Game Awards is Rigged After Arc Raiders Failed to Secure GOTY Nomination

The conversation intensified ever more when major streamers joined the discussion on Arc Raiders GOTY Nomination. Shroud had been vocally supportive of Arc Raiders the entire month of November before it even released, having called it his personal Game of the Year over Expedition 33 as well.

He doubled down after the nominees were announced by saying it felt “rigged” to not nominate the game after the reception it received. xQc watched Shroud and agreed, with the G2 streamer adding to the argument already brewing.

But it is worth noting that there is another aspect to this conversation that fans seem to be pointing out. Arc Raiders only launched a couple of weeks prior to the awards ceremony, making it less comparable to other games that had been out significantly longer.

And 2025 is widely considered one of the strongest lineups in this year's Game Awards nominations, filled with narrative-heavy blockbusters, returning franchises, and ambitious sequels. In a crowded field, even strong performers can be pushed out.