Independent developer vedinad has made the surprising decision to withdraw the critically acclaimed game Megabonk from consideration for Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards 2025. This announcement comes just one day after the official nominee reveal on November 17, when voting opened for all award categories.

Originally launched in September, Megabonk has been widely praised as a "3D Vampire Survivors-inspired" title that has quickly established itself as a standout in the increasingly popular survivor-like genre. The game achieved remarkable success for a solo developer project, reaching an impressive peak of over 117,000 concurrent players on Steam during October. With Megabonk's withdrawal, the remaining contenders for Best Debut Indie Game now include:

• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Despelote
• Dispatch

Through an official statement on Megabonk's X account, vedinad confirmed the decision to withdraw from The Game Awards 2025 Best Debut Indie Game category. While expressing gratitude for the community support that earned the nomination, the developer explained that considering Megabonk as a debut indie game would be unfair to other nominees, given their previous game development experience under different aliases. The statement encouraged fans to redirect their support toward the remaining Best Debut Indie Game nominees.

In more positive news, vedinad hinted at an upcoming new update for Megabonk, giving disappointed fans something to anticipate despite the award withdrawal.

The Game Awards 2025 has already generated controversy across several categories, with some fans expressing disappointment that titles like ARC Raiders were overlooked for nominations in categories such as Best Audio Design and Game of the Year. The Best Performance category has also sparked debate, with criticism over Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 receiving three nominations in a single category. Despite these controversies, Megabonk's voluntary withdrawal remains the only nomination change so far this year.

Interestingly, while nominated for Best Debut Indie Game, Megabonk did not receive a nomination in the Best Independent Game category. The nominees for Best Independent Game include:

• Absolum
• Ball x Pit
• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Hades 2
• Hollow Knight: Silksong

Both Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Blue Prince earned nominations in both Best Debut Indie Game and Best Independent Game categories. Additionally, fellow Best Debut Indie Game nominee Despelote also received a nomination for the Games for Impact award.

The withdrawal from Best Debut Indie Game means Megabonk is no longer eligible to win any of the current award categories. However, hope remains for dedicated fans, as the game could still compete for the Player's Voice award, which is determined exclusively by community voting. With Player's Voice voting not yet open, the Megabonk community still has the opportunity to rally support and potentially secure this prestigious fan-voted honor for their beloved game.