New York Game Awards: 2025’s Special Guests Revealed

The fifteenth New York Game Awards are this Tuesday! Unlike the Game Awards, it’s harder here for any one game to “sweep” the NYGAs; the categories are more varied and split apart. If there’s a frontrunner going in, it’s Astro Bot with four nominations, 1000xResist with another four, and Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth with three. This is also the only awards show we’ve seen where Balatro doesn’t dominate, it has just one nomination.

“Our non-profit is working hard to deliver a special New York Game Awards, and we can’t wait for the audience to experience what we have in store,” said Ryan O’Callaghan, executive director, New York Videogame Critics Circle. “Our awards show is fourteen years young, and our members and interns love bringing together the best of the games industry each year. Whether you’re attending the awards in person or joining us via livestream at home, we have a little something for everyone to enjoy as we celebrate another outstanding year for games.”

With less than a week to go, the NYVGCC have just revealed all the special guests that will be attending this time. We already knew about Mega Ran, but other appearances will include author Stacy Horn, Daily Show writer Devin Delliquanti, video game VA and Broadway actor Matthew Porretta, and ballet soloist Georgina Pazcoguin.

Oh yeah, and Reggie Fils-Aime will be there, he’s co-hosting the event alongside NYVGCC president Harold Goldberg. The fourteenth New York Game Awards will be held January 21 at the SVA Theatre in Manhattan. If you live in the New York area, tickets for reserved seats are $80 and available for purchase today through Eventbrite. NYVGCC is also offering limited access to the awards afterparty, where the drinks are free, but the cover charge is $100. If you live somewhere else you can watch the livestream on IGN’s YouTube and Twitch channels, the Video Game Amateurs Twitch channel, and the Iron Lords Podcast Twitch channel.

Raheem “Mega Ran” Jarbo
Mega Ran is a widely acclaimed hip-hop artist from Philadelphia who has become a pillar of the nerdcore rap scene. Starting his career as an educator, Ran now travels the globe performing and producing music focused on video game content. He has worked with Capcom, Warner Bros., Paramount, and more to create officially licensed music for some of the biggest brands in video games, film, TV, and pop culture. Ran will be performing a new song at the New York Game Awards.

  Georgina Pazcoguin, The Rogue Ballerina
A soloist with the New York City Ballet, a Broadway performer, and an advocate for inclusion in ballet, Georgina Pazcoguin has left an indelible legacy on dance culture in New York. Her work on and off the stage has made a significant impact, including challenging racial stereotypes and body standards in the ballet industry. “The Rogue Ballerina” will share an announcement as part of this year’s awards.

 

Stacy Horn
Stacy is a prolific author with several published books on online culture, criminal intrigue, music, and various subjects. Her most recent book, “The Killing Fields East of New York City,” will be released on Tuesday, Jan. 28. It delves into white-collar crime and its relationship to neighborhoods of color. Stacy will present the Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism.

 

Devin Delliquanti
Known for his award-winning work on The Daily Show, Devin is an accomplished writer, producer, comedian, and frequent collaborator with the New York Game Awards, where he produces the “In Memoriam” segment, a humorous look back at the best game deaths featured in 2024 games and industry trends that have come and gone.

 

Matthew Porretta
Matthew Porretta is an American television, voice, and film actor. New Yorkers might recognize Poretta as a Broadway veteran from his lead roles in the stage performances of Les Misérables and Steven Sondheim’s Passion. He is known in the video game industry for his role in major video games such as the Alan Wake series, Control, Starfield, and more. Matthew will present the Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game.