Expedition 33 Triumphs at the 2025 Golden Joystick Ceremony
The 43rd annual Golden Joystick Awards were hosted this past week, and in a stunning performance, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was crowned the top winner. This surprise role-playing game by Sandfall Interactive secured the coveted Ultimate Game of the Year award, along with accolades for Best Storytelling and Excellence in Visuals.
Enhancing the studio's triumph, the skilled cast also received individual awards. Jennifer English won Outstanding Lead Performance for her portrayal as Maelle, while Ben Starr won Supporting Performance Award for his work as Verso. Additionally, Sandfall Interactive the studio received Top Studio. In total, Clair Obscur and its developers collected 7 awards during the event.
Other notable winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which won Top Sound Design and Best Console Game, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, honored with Top Self-Published Indie and Premier PC Title. Notably, the majority of Golden Joystick Awards are voted on by the audience, with only 4 special—Critics' Pick, Breakthrough, Hall of Fame inductee, and Streamers’ Choice—determined by critics.
Below is the complete list of winners from the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards:
- Top Story – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top Audio – Ghost of Yōtei
- Best Multiplayer – Peak
- Best Visuals – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Best Indie Game Self Published – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Indie Game – Blue Prince
- Best Development Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Top Early Access Title – REPO
- Best Music – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Game Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Still Playing (Mobile) – Pokémon Go
- Still Playing - Consoles & PC – Minecraft
- Streamers’ Choice – Peak
- Best Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Rising Star Award – Schedule I
- Best Gaming Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best Game 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
- Best PC Game – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Top Console Game – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics' Choice – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Wanted Title – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those who missed the actual event, the awards ceremony can be watched through streaming following this article.
