Clair Obscur Sweeps at the 2025 Golden Joystick Ceremony
The 43rd annual Golden Joystick Awards took place on Thursday, and in a stunning show, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerged as the top winner. This breakout role-playing game by Sandfall Interactive won the prestigious Ultimate Game of the Year award, along with prizes for Best Storytelling and Best Visual Design.
Complementing the studio's achievements, its skilled actors also garnered individual awards. Jennifer English was named Outstanding Lead Performance for her portrayal as Maelle, while Ben Starr won Best Supporting Actor for his acting as Verso. Furthermore, Sandfall Interactive the studio received Best Development Team. Altogether, Clair Obscur and its developers won seven awards during the ceremony.
Other notable winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which received Top Sound Design and Best Console Game, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, winning Outstanding Independent Game and Best PC Game. Worth mentioning, the majority of Golden Joystick Awards are selected by the audience, with only 4 categories—Critics’ Choice, Breakthrough, Hall of Fame, and Streamers' Favorite—decided by experts.
Here is the full list of award recipients from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025:
- Top Story – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Excellence in Sound – Ghost of Yōtei
- Top Multiplayer Title – Peak
- Best Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Best Indie Game Self Published – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Independent Game – Blue Prince
- Top Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Best Early Access Game – REPO
- Best Music – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Game Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Mobile Game Still Played – Pokémon Go
- Still Playing (Console/PC) – Minecraft
- Streamers’ Choice – Peak
- Top Remake – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Rising Star Award – Schedule I
- Top Gaming Gear – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best 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
- Best PC Game – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Top Console Game – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics' Choice – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Anticipated – Grand Theft Auto 6
- 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 below.
