Expedition 33 Triumphs at the 2025's Golden Joystick Awards
The forty-third yearly Golden Joystick Awards took place on Thursday, and through an impressive performance, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was crowned the top winner. This breakout role-playing game from Sandfall Interactive won the coveted Ultimate Game of the Year award, along with honors for Best Storytelling and Best Visual Design.
Enhancing the studio's triumph, its gifted performers also received individual awards. Jennifer English received Outstanding Lead Performance for her portrayal as Maelle, while Ben Starr took home Supporting Performance Award for his acting as Verso. Additionally, Sandfall Interactive the studio was honored as Top Studio. Overall, Clair Obscur and its creative team won 7 awards during the show.
Additional notable winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which won Top Sound Design and Console Game of the Year, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, winning Outstanding Independent Game and Best PC Game. Worth mentioning, the lion's share of Golden Joystick Awards are selected by the gamers, with only 4 special—Critics’ Choice, Breakthrough Award, Hall of Fame inductee, and Streamer Selection—decided by critics.
Following is the full list of honorees from the 2025 gaming awards:
- Best Storytelling – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Audio Design – Ghost of Yōtei
- Top Multiplayer Title – Peak
- Top Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Best Indie Game Self Published – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Indie Game – Blue Prince
- Top Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Best Early Access Game – REPO
- Top Score – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Still Playing (Mobile) – Pokémon Go
- Console/PC Game Still Played – Minecraft
- Streamers’ Choice – Peak
- Top Remake – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Breakthrough Award – Schedule I
- Top Gaming Gear – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Top Game Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Supporting Performance Award – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Lead Performance Award – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hall of Fame Inductee – The Sims
- PC Game of the Year – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Console Game of the Year – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics' Choice – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Anticipated – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
If you missed out on the full event, the Golden Joystick Awards 2025 can be watched via video following this article.
