Expedition 33 Sweeps at the 2025 Golden Joystick Ceremony
The forty-third yearly Golden Joystick Awards were hosted recently, and in a stunning display, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 claimed the title of the top winner. This breakout role-playing game from Sandfall Interactive won the coveted Ultimate Game of the Year award, along with prizes for Superb Storytelling and Top Visual Design.
Enhancing the studio's triumph, its talented performers also were honored with personal awards. Jennifer English won Outstanding Lead Performance for her performance as Maelle, while Ben Starr took home Best Supporting Performer for his acting as Verso. Moreover, Sandfall Interactive itself was named Top Studio. Altogether, Clair Obscur and its developers won seven awards during the show.
Additional standout winners featured Ghost of Yōtei, which won Best Audio Design and Console Game of the Year, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, receiving Outstanding Independent Game and Premier PC Title. Worth mentioning, the lion's share of Golden Joystick Awards are voted on by the gamers, with only 4 special—Critics’ Choice, Breakthrough, Hall of Fame inductee, and Streamer Selection—decided by experts.
Following is the full list of award recipients from the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards:
- Outstanding Narrative – 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
- Top Indie (Self-Published) – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Independent Game – Blue Prince
- Top Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Best Early Access Game – REPO
- Best Music – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Mobile Game Still Played – Pokémon Go
- Console/PC Game Still Played – Minecraft
- Streamer Favorite – Peak
- Top Remake – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Rising Star Award – Schedule I
- Best Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Best Supporting Actor – 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
- Console Game of the Year – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics' Choice – 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 ceremony, the awards ceremony can be watched online following this article.
