Clair Obscur Sweeps at the 2025 Gaming Honors
The forty-third yearly Golden Joystick Awards took place this past week, and through an impressive performance, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerged as the top winner. This surprise role-playing game by Sandfall Interactive earned the prestigious Ultimate Game of the Year award, along with accolades for Outstanding Narrative and Top Visual Design.
Complementing the studio's triumph, the gifted cast also were honored with individual awards. Jennifer English received Outstanding Lead Performance for her role as Maelle, while Ben Starr took home Best Supporting Actor for his work as Verso. Additionally, Sandfall Interactive itself received Top Studio. In total, Clair Obscur and its makers collected 7 awards during the show.
Additional notable winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which won Best Audio Design and Top Console Title, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, honored with Outstanding Independent Game and Premier PC Title. Worth mentioning, the bulk of Golden Joystick Awards are chosen by the gamers, with only 4 special—Critics' Pick, Rising Star, Lifetime Achievement, and Streamer Selection—judged by reviewers.
Here is the complete list of honorees from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025:
- Best Storytelling – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Excellence in Sound – Ghost of Yōtei
- Best Multiplayer – Peak
- Best Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Best Self-Published Indie – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Top Indie Title – Blue Prince
- Top Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Top Early Access Title – REPO
- Best Soundtrack – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Still Playing - Mobile – Pokémon Go
- Still Playing (Console/PC) – Minecraft
- Streamers’ Choice – Peak
- Best Remake / Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Rising Star Award – Schedule I
- Best Gaming Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Best Supporting Actor – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Lead Actor – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hall of Fame Inductee – The Sims
- Top PC Title – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Console Game of the Year – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics’ Choice Award – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Wanted Title – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
If you missed out on the full ceremony, the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards is available to watch online following this article.
