Clair Obscur Dominates at the 2025's Golden Joystick Ceremony
The forty-third yearly Golden Joystick Awards took place recently, and in a stunning show, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerged as the biggest winner. This standout role-playing game by Sandfall Interactive earned the coveted Ultimate Game of the Year award, along with prizes for Outstanding Narrative and Excellence in Visuals.
Adding to the studio's success, the gifted cast also were honored with personal awards. Jennifer English won Top Lead Actor for her role as Maelle, while Ben Starr won Best Supporting Actor for his acting as Verso. Furthermore, Sandfall Interactive the studio received Top Studio. Overall, Clair Obscur and its developers collected 7 awards during the event.
Additional notable winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which won Best Audio Design and Console Game of the Year, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, winning Best Indie Game (Self-Published) and Premier PC Title. Worth mentioning, the bulk of Golden Joystick Awards are voted on by the gamers, with only four categories—Critics Choice, Breakthrough, Lifetime Achievement, and Streamers’ Choice—judged by critics.
Here is the complete list of honorees from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025:
- Top Story – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top Audio – Ghost of Yōtei
- Best Multiplayer – Peak
- Best Visuals – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Game Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Top Indie (Self-Published) – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Independent Game – Blue Prince
- Best Development Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Best Early Access Game – REPO
- Best Soundtrack – 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 Remake / Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Breakthrough – Schedule I
- Best Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best Game 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 – The Sims
- Top PC Title – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Top Console Game – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics' Choice – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Anticipated – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those who missed the live show, the Golden Joystick Awards 2025 is available to watch through streaming below.
