Felix “xQc” Lengyel ignited fresh debate around The Game Awards 2025 after suggesting that ARC Raiders was quietly pushed out of major categories to sidestep controversy surrounding the game’s use of AI.
The streamer’s comments came on Nov. 19, when he shared his thoughts on X, telling followers, “I think The Game Awards are trying to avoid alienating their viewerbase by not including ARC Raiders in a few categories because of the ‘AI’ controversy.” He followed that with, “Ironically, they are alienating those who care about the integrity of the show,” framing the decision as damaging to viewer trust.
When pressed by an X user about which categories ARC Raiders should have been recognized in, xQc made his stance clear. “Winning is one thing, but NOMINATED? Audio, action, art. Can easily replace most titles in those categories really,” he replied.
The audio design category in particular became a focal point, as many players had previously praised the game’s sound work and expressed confusion over its absence from that list.
ARC Raiders received just one nomination at The Game Awards 2025, landing a spot in the Best Multiplayer Game category while missing out entirely on Game of the Year and several other high-profile categories.
For many fans, this felt surprising considering the game’s strong reception and its rapidly growing player base since launch. The multiplayer extraction shooter from Embark Studios has drawn millions of players, making its limited recognition difficult for some to understand.
XQc was not the only high-profile voice raising questions. Shroud had already expressed frustration with the nominations, calling The Game Awards “rigged” during his live reaction stream.
Reflecting on ARC Raiders’ limited presence, he remarked, “The world is just not ready for AI in video games, not yet. They’re just not ready.” He also suggested that organizers “would be afraid of backlash” if they put the game in more categories.
The Game Awards’ voting structure may play a role in public perception. Fans contribute 10 percent of the final tally, while a jury of more than 100 gaming media outlets decides the remaining 90 percent. This has led some to speculate that publications may have been hesitant to support ARC Raiders due to its AI-driven technology, though no evidence currently supports that idea.
As of now, The Game Awards has not addressed xQc’s accusations or clarified why certain games were selected over others. The show will stream live on Dec. 11, with fan voting ongoing at TheGameAwards.com.
Whether ARC Raiders was deliberately overlooked or simply outvoted remains unresolved, but the discussion has highlighted growing friction around AI’s role in modern game development and the influence it may have on awards and recognition in the industry.
