The breakout indie title Megabonk has been voluntarily removed from consideration in The Game Awards’ Debut Indie Game category. The decision was initiated by the game’s solo creator, who publically stated that the nomination did not accurately reflected his past work and development background. This move has attracted significant attention across the industry, particularly since Megabonk has been one of the biggest independent success stories of 2025, launching on September 18 and quickly becoming a strong contender among nominated titles.
The formal announcement was distributed via the game’s official social media channel. In his statement, the developer, known online as vedinad, conveyed appreciation but stressed the conflict with the award’s specific criteria. He wrote, “I’m withdrawing from The Game Awards. It’s an honor and a dream for Megabonk to be nominated for TGA, but unfortunately i don’t think it qualifies for the category Debut Indie Game. I’ve made games in the past under different studio names, so Megabonk is not my debut game.” A follow-up post encouraged voters to recognize other nominees, adding that taking the award would simply not feel right given the technicality of the definition.
Megabonk itself is a highly acclaimed, fast-paced 3D bullet hell action roguelike, developed entirely by vedinad. The title has received significant praise for its energetic horde survival mechanics and distinctive retro aesthetic. The game immediately found a large following upon release, exceeding the impressive milestone of one million units sold on Steam for Windows and Linux within two months. Given its rapid ascent and commercial popularity, the developer’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of the “debut” status, rather than prioritizing award visibility, is notable.
This unique situation develops as The Game Awards 2025 prepares for its annual ceremony on December 11 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Hosted by Geoff Keighley, the show is set to be broadcast across major streaming platforms, including its inaugural stream on Amazon Prime Video. The awards continue to utilize a 90 to 10 split between jury deliberations and public fan voting. The ceremony aims to honor a diverse catalog of releases, led this year by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which received twelve nominations.
