Overview
- Xbox announced the 2025 Xbox Excellence Awards on February 11, 2026 via Xbox Wire in a post by Daniel Lingen.
- Awards are based on Store Rating (highest-rated 2025 releases with at least 500 reviews), Player Engagement (average hours per player in the first six weeks), Daily Active Users (top single-day counts in 2025), and Units Sold (best sellers across Xbox and Microsoft stores).
- The final list spans 55 titles, including 16 available on Xbox Game Pass, representing 48 developers from 13 countries alongside 24 publishers and 19 self-published games.
- Xbox notes that some recognized games were not new in 2025 but earned spots through significant updates delivered during the year.
- Notable honorees across the categories include Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Elden Ring Nightreign, Helldivers 2, Grand Theft Auto V, Forza Horizon 5, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.