vedinadThe solo developer behind Megabonk has pulled out of The Game Awards after being nominated for Best Debut Indie.
After a successful release in September 2025, Megabonk was announced as a Best Debut Indie nominee on November 17 as part of the full 2025 lineup revealed by The Game Awards.
One day later, the creator told fans the nomination wasn’t appropriate based on his past work. The game had been included in a category meant to highlight first-time indie releases.
Game Awards host Geoff Keighley has since confirmed Megabonk’s removal.
Developer says Megabonk does not qualify for Debut Indie
“I’m withdrawing from The Game Awards,” he said in a post. “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.’
“I’ve made games in the past under different studio names, so Megabonk is not my debut game. I really appreciate the nomination, support, and votes, but it doesn’t feel right in this category. You should vote for another one of the amazing debut titles, they are all amazing games!”
Soon after, Keighley followed on with his own post on X to clarify the situation. As explained, the creator of Megabonk had been “presenting himself as a new creator under the name Vedinad.”
Ultimately, while the name was new, the creator had other released other projects in the past. As such, Megabonk has indeed been removed from the Best Debut Indie title category.
“He’ll share more about his story when he’s ready, but we respect that he didn’t want to take recognition away from other debut teams — even though the game itself is outstanding,” Keighley added.
Related
All Best Debut Indie Nominations
The following games remain in contention for Best Debut Indie title of 2025 at The Game Awards:
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Despelote
- Dispatch
The Game Awards has not confirmed if the category will receive an updated ballot with a different game stepping up to fill the fifth slot.