Expedition 33 Triumphs at the 2025's Gaming Honors
The 43rd yearly Golden Joystick Awards were hosted on Thursday, and through an impressive show, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was crowned the biggest winner. The standout role-playing game from Sandfall Interactive secured the esteemed Game of the Year award, along with accolades for Superb Storytelling and Top Visual Design.
Adding to the developer's success, the talented cast also were honored with individual awards. Jennifer English received Top Lead Actor for her portrayal as Maelle, while Ben Starr earned Best Supporting Actor for his role as Verso. Moreover, Sandfall Interactive the studio received Studio of the Year. In total, Clair Obscur and its makers won 7 awards throughout the ceremony.
Other notable winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which received Outstanding Audio and Top Console Title, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, honored with Outstanding Independent Game and Best PC Game. Worth mentioning, the bulk of Golden Joystick Awards are selected by the gamers, with only 4 special—Critics' Pick, Breakthrough, Hall of Fame inductee, and Streamers' Favorite—judged by reviewers.
Following is the full list of award recipients from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025:
- Best Storytelling – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Excellence in Sound – Ghost of Yōtei
- Best Multiplayer – Peak
- Best Visuals – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top DLC – Lies of P: Overture
- Best Self-Published Indie – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Indie Game – Blue Prince
- Best Development Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Best Early Access Game – REPO
- Top Score – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Mobile Game Still Played – Pokémon Go
- Still Playing - Consoles & PC – Minecraft
- Streamer Favorite – Peak
- Best Remake / Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Breakthrough – 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 Performer – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hall of Fame Inductee – The Sims
- Top PC Title – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Console Game – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics' Choice – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Anticipated – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those missed out on the full ceremony, the Golden Joystick Awards 2025 can be watched online below.
