The Game Awards 2025 just had an unexpected twist! MegaBonk, one of the nominees for Best Debut Indie Game, has withdrawn itself from the category, not because of drama, but because the developer felt he did not fully qualify.
A Surprising Turn of Events
Geoff Keighley shared the update on Twitter/X, explaining that the creator behind MegaBonk, known publicly as Vedinad, privately reached out to clarify he is actually an established solo developer, and not a new creator.
“We’re grateful for his honesty… MegaBonk will be removed from the category,” Keighley wrote.
Shortly after, the developer himself, John Megabonk, posted a statement confirming why he asked to be removed:
“I’ve made games in the past under different studio names, so MegaBonk is not my debut game… it doesn’t feel right in this category.”
He also encouraged players to support the other nominees, calling them “amazing debut titles.”
Community Reactions
“So… none of these games should count then?“
Players in the comments were pretty stunned, but not because of the dev’s honesty. Instead, many questioned the logic behind the category itself. Several people pointed out that nearly every indie team, even “debut” ones, is made of developers who previously worked elsewhere. One comment summed it up:
“It doesn’t matter about his experience. If he’s at a new indie studio, and it’s their debut game, it should qualify. By this logic, none of the games in the category should be eligible.”
Players feel the pullout highlights a bigger issue. The criteria for “debut indie game” is blurry, especially when teams constantly dissolve, reform, or rebrand between projects. An indie game is technically one that is not owned by a major publisher. Basically, what matters in theory is:
- The independence of the team. So if they own the IP, and have full power over the decisions, etc
- The team size does not matter, and neither if they worked on other games beforehand
- Can be Published by other studios, but the publisher is not controlling it
- The game is independently funded and has independent creative control
Still, most people praised the MegaBonk dev for being upfront. And on a good note, he also teased that new updates are coming to the game soon, so stay tuned!
You can also check out who got nominated for the Game of the Year 2025, and for more guides and information, take a look at our latest news!
