Expedition 33 Triumphs at the 2025's Gaming Honors
The forty-third yearly Golden Joystick Awards took place this past week, and in a stunning performance, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 claimed the title of the biggest winner. This standout role-playing game by Sandfall Interactive earned the coveted Top Game award, along with prizes for Outstanding Narrative and Best Visual Design.
Complementing the developer's triumph, its talented actors also received individual awards. Jennifer English was named Best Lead Performer for her role as Maelle, while Ben Starr won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Verso. Moreover, Sandfall Interactive the studio was named Best Development Team. In total, Clair Obscur and its makers won 7 awards during the ceremony.
Other notable winners featured Ghost of Yōtei, which won Best Audio Design and Best Console Game, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, receiving Outstanding Independent Game and Premier PC Title. Worth mentioning, the lion's share of Golden Joystick Awards are selected by the audience, with only 4 categories—Critics' Pick, Breakthrough, Hall of Fame inductee, and Streamers’ Choice—judged by experts.
Here is the entire list of honorees from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025:
- Outstanding Narrative – 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 Indie Game Self Published – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Top Indie Title – Blue Prince
- Best Development Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Top Early Access Title – REPO
- Top Score – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Game Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Still Playing (Mobile) – Pokémon Go
- Console/PC Game Still Played – Minecraft
- Streamers' Pick – Peak
- Best Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Breakthrough Award – Schedule I
- Best Gaming Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Top Game Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Best Supporting Performer – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Lead Performance Award – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hall of Fame – The Sims
- Top PC Title – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Console Game – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics Pick – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Wanted Game – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those who missed the live show, the awards ceremony is available to watch online here.