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Megabonk's creator withdraws from The Game Awards after nomination

The game's developer believes they don't qualify for the category they're nominated in.
Alex Hopley Editor UK 19 November 2025

In quite an unprecedented move, a game has withdrawn from The Game Awards after being nominated. That game is Megabonk, created by solo developer vedinad, which sold more than a million copies just weeks after launch.

Considering its success, you wouldn't necessarily see a problem with Megabonk being nominated for Best Debut Indie Game. However, vedinad over on X/Twitter said they were withdrawing from the category.

"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,'" he explained. "I've made games in the past under different studio names, so Megabonk is not my debut game."

https://x.com/MegabonkGame/status/1990856468615061603

It's sound logic, but that would likely mean other nominees in the same category such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Dispatch would be invalid. It seems more about the game being the studio's debut title than it being a game made by complete novices, but each to their own.

Editor UK Alex Hopley covered the video game industry for Gamereactor, from new announcements and launches to the business behind them. He also wrote on tech, film and entertainment, and his coverage wasn't tied to any one region.
Full profile Gamereactor author since 2023 · 9,411 published articles
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