Clair Obscur Dominates at the 2025 Gaming Honors
The forty-third annual Golden Joystick Awards took place recently, and through an impressive display, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 claimed the title of the biggest winner. The standout role-playing game by Sandfall Interactive secured the esteemed Game of the Year award, along with accolades for Superb Storytelling and Top Visual Design.
Complementing the developer's achievements, the skilled actors also received individual awards. Jennifer English received Top Lead Actor for her role as Maelle, while Ben Starr earned Supporting Performance Award for his role as Verso. Additionally, Sandfall Interactive itself was named Studio of the Year. In total, Clair Obscur and its developers achieved seven awards throughout the show.
Additional standout winners featured Ghost of Yōtei, which was awarded Outstanding Audio and Best Console Game, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, receiving Best Indie Game (Self-Published) and Premier PC Title. It is important to note, the lion's share of Golden Joystick Awards are chosen by the public, with only 4 special—Critics' Pick, Breakthrough Award, Lifetime Achievement, and Streamers’ Choice—judged by experts.
Here is the full list of award recipients from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025:
- Best Storytelling – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top Audio – Ghost of Yōtei
- Top Multiplayer Title – Peak
- Best Visuals – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Top Indie (Self-Published) – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Independent Game – Blue Prince
- Top Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Top Early Access Title – REPO
- Top Score – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Still Playing - Mobile – Pokémon Go
- Still Playing - Consoles & PC – Minecraft
- Streamers’ Choice – Peak
- Best Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Breakthrough – Schedule I
- Top Gaming Gear – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best Game Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Supporting Performance Award – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Lead Actor – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hall of Fame Inductee – The Sims
- PC Game of the Year – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Console Game of the Year – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics' Choice – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Wanted Title – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those who missed the full event, the awards ceremony can be watched via video below.
