Expedition 33 Sweeps at the 2025's Golden Joystick Awards

The forty-third annual Golden Joystick Awards were hosted on Thursday, and through an impressive display, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerged as the top winner. This breakout role-playing game from Sandfall Interactive earned the prestigious Game of the Year award, along with accolades for Best Storytelling and Excellence in Visuals.

Adding to the studio's achievements, the talented performers also received personal awards. Jennifer English was named Best Lead Performer for her performance as Maelle, while Ben Starr earned Best Supporting Actor for his work as Verso. Moreover, Sandfall Interactive itself was honored as Top Studio. Overall, Clair Obscur and its developers collected seven awards during the show.

Additional notable winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which received Best Audio Design and Top Console Title, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, honored with Best Indie Game (Self-Published) and Best PC Game. Worth mentioning, the bulk of Golden Joystick Awards are chosen by the gamers, with only four awards—Critics’ Choice, Rising Star, Lifetime Achievement, and Streamers' Favorite—judged by reviewers.

Following 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 – Peak
• Best Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Top DLC – Lies of P: Overture
• Top Indie (Self-Published) – Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Top Indie Title – Blue Prince
• Studio of the Year – Sandfall Interactive
• Top Early Access Title – REPO
• Top Score – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Top Game Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
• Still Playing (Mobile) – Pokémon Go
• Still Playing - Consoles & PC – Minecraft
• Streamers' Pick – Peak
• Top Remake – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
• Rising Star Award – Schedule I
• Best Gaming Hardware – 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
• Lifetime Achievement – The Sims
• Top PC Title – Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Top Console Game – Ghost of Yōtei
• Critics’ Choice Award – Donkey Kong Bananza
• Most Wanted Game – Grand Theft Auto 6
• Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

For those who missed the actual show, the awards ceremony can be watched online following this article.