Clair Obscur Triumphs at the 2025's Golden Joystick Awards
The forty-third annual Golden Joystick Awards unfolded this past week, and through an impressive performance, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerged as the top winner. This surprise role-playing game by Sandfall Interactive secured the prestigious Top Game award, along with prizes for Best Storytelling and Top Visual Design.
Complementing the developer's triumph, the skilled cast also were honored with personal awards. Jennifer English received Best Lead Performer for her portrayal as Maelle, while Ben Starr earned Supporting Performance Award for his role as Verso. Additionally, Sandfall Interactive itself was honored as Top Studio. Altogether, Clair Obscur and its developers achieved 7 awards throughout the event.
Additional major winners featured Ghost of Yōtei, which won Top Sound Design and Top Console Title, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, receiving Outstanding Independent Game and PC Game of the Year. Notably, the bulk of Golden Joystick Awards are chosen by the audience, with only four categories—Critics' Pick, Rising Star, Hall of Fame inductee, and Streamers’ Choice—determined by reviewers.
Here is the full list of honorees from the 2025 gaming awards:
- Best Storytelling – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top Audio – Ghost of Yōtei
- Best Multiplayer Game – Peak
- Best Visuals – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Game Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Best Self-Published Indie – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Independent Game – Blue Prince
- Top Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Best Early Access – REPO
- Best Music – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top Game Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Still Playing (Mobile) – Pokémon Go
- Still Playing - Consoles & PC – Minecraft
- Streamer Favorite – Peak
- Top Remake – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Breakthrough – Schedule I
- Best Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best Game Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Supporting Performance Award – 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
- Console Game of the Year – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics' Choice – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Wanted Game – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
If you who missed the live show, the Golden Joystick Awards 2025 can be viewed through streaming below.
