Clair Obscur Triumphs at the 2025's Gaming Honors
The 43rd annual Golden Joystick Awards took place on Thursday, and through an impressive display, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerged as the top winner. The surprise role-playing game by Sandfall Interactive earned the esteemed Top Game award, along with honors for Superb Storytelling and Excellence in Visuals.
Adding to the developer's achievements, the gifted cast also were honored with personal awards. Jennifer English won Outstanding Lead Performance for her portrayal as Maelle, while Ben Starr won Supporting Performance Award for his role as Verso. Additionally, Sandfall Interactive the studio received Studio of the Year. Altogether, Clair Obscur and its makers collected seven awards during the show.
Other notable winners featured Ghost of Yōtei, which won Outstanding Audio and Top Console Title, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, receiving Top Self-Published Indie and PC Game of the Year. Worth mentioning, the lion's share of Golden Joystick Awards are chosen by the gamers, with only 4 special—Critics Choice, Rising Star, Hall of Fame inductee, and Streamer Selection—judged by experts.
Below is the entire list of award recipients from the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards:
- Outstanding Narrative – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Excellence in Sound – Ghost of Yōtei
- Best Multiplayer – Peak
- Best Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Game Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Best Self-Published Indie – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Independent Game – Blue Prince
- Best Development Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Best Early Access Game – 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
- Top Remake – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Breakthrough Award – Schedule I
- Best Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Top Game Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Supporting Performance Award – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Lead Actor – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hall of Fame – The Sims
- Best PC Game – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Top Console Game – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics Pick – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Wanted Title – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those missed out on the live ceremony, the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards can be watched online following this article.
