Expedition 33 Dominates at the 2025's Golden Joystick Ceremony
The 43rd annual Golden Joystick Awards took place recently, and through an impressive show, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerged as the top winner. This standout role-playing game by Sandfall Interactive won the coveted Ultimate Game of the Year award, along with accolades for Outstanding Narrative and Top Visual Design.
Complementing the studio's success, the gifted cast also received personal awards. Jennifer English received Top Lead Actor for her portrayal as Maelle, while Ben Starr took home Best Supporting Performer for his acting as Verso. Moreover, Sandfall Interactive the studio was named Top Studio. Overall, Clair Obscur and its developers won seven awards during the event.
Additional notable winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which received Best Audio Design and Best Console Game, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, receiving Top Self-Published Indie and Best PC Game. Worth mentioning, the majority of Golden Joystick Awards are voted on by the audience, with only 4 awards—Critics' Pick, Rising Star, Lifetime Achievement, and Streamers’ Choice—determined by experts.
Here is the complete list of award recipients from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025:
- Top Story – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Audio Design – Ghost of Yōtei
- Best Multiplayer Game – Peak
- Best Visuals – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Top Indie (Self-Published) – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Independent Game – Blue Prince
- Studio of the Year – Sandfall Interactive
- Best Early Access – 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 Gaming Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Supporting Performance Award – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Lead Performer – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Lifetime Achievement – 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
- Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those who missed the live show, the Golden Joystick Awards 2025 is available to watch via video following this article.
