Expedition 33 Triumphs at the 2025 Golden Joystick Ceremony
The forty-third yearly Golden Joystick Awards unfolded this past week, and in a stunning performance, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 claimed the title of the biggest winner. This standout role-playing game from Sandfall Interactive earned the coveted Game of the Year award, along with prizes for Best Storytelling and Best Visual Design.
Complementing the developer's success, the skilled actors also garnered personal awards. Jennifer English won Top Lead Actor for her portrayal as Maelle, while Ben Starr won Best Supporting Actor for his work as Verso. Furthermore, Sandfall Interactive itself was named Studio of the Year. Overall, Clair Obscur and its makers collected 7 awards during the ceremony.
Additional major winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which was awarded Best Audio Design and Console Game of the Year, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, receiving Outstanding Independent Game and PC Game of the Year. Worth mentioning, the bulk of Golden Joystick Awards are voted on by the audience, with only 4 categories—Critics Choice, Breakthrough Award, Hall of Fame inductee, and Streamers' Favorite—decided by reviewers.
Here is the entire list of award recipients from the 2025 gaming awards:
- Top Story – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Audio Design – Ghost of Yōtei
- Top Multiplayer Title – Peak
- Top Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Game Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Top Indie (Self-Published) – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Top Indie Title – Blue Prince
- Studio of the Year – Sandfall Interactive
- Best Early Access Game – REPO
- Best Soundtrack – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Game Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Mobile Game Still Played – Pokémon Go
- Console/PC Game Still Played – Minecraft
- Streamers' Pick – Peak
- Best Remake / Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Breakthrough – Schedule I
- Top Gaming Gear – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Best Supporting Actor – 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
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
If you who missed the full show, the awards ceremony is available to watch through streaming following this article.
