Expedition 33 Dominates at the 2025's Golden Joystick Awards
The 43rd annual Golden Joystick Awards took place recently, and through an impressive display, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 claimed the title of the most decorated winner. The standout role-playing game from Sandfall Interactive earned the prestigious Game of the Year award, along with accolades for Best Storytelling and Excellence in Visuals.
Adding to the studio's success, its gifted performers also were honored with personal awards. Jennifer English won Top Lead Actor for her portrayal as Maelle, while Ben Starr earned Best Supporting Actor for his role as Verso. Furthermore, Sandfall Interactive itself was honored as Studio of the Year. In total, Clair Obscur and its makers achieved seven awards during the show.
Other notable winners featured Ghost of Yōtei, which was awarded Best Audio Design and Console Game of the Year, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, receiving Outstanding Independent Game and Best PC Game. Worth mentioning, the bulk of Golden Joystick Awards are chosen by the audience, with only four awards—Critics Choice, Breakthrough, Lifetime Achievement, and Streamers' Favorite—judged by critics.
Below is the entire list of award recipients from the 2025 gaming awards:
- Top Story – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top Audio – Ghost of Yōtei
- Best Multiplayer Game – Peak
- Best Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top DLC – Lies of P: Overture
- Top Indie (Self-Published) – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Top Indie Title – Blue Prince
- Best Development 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 - Consoles & PC – Minecraft
- Streamers' Pick – 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
- Supporting Performance Award – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Lead Performer – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hall of Fame Inductee – The Sims
- Best PC Game – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Console Game – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics' Choice – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Wanted Game – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those missed out on the actual show, the Golden Joystick Awards 2025 can be watched through streaming here.
