Expedition 33 Triumphs at the 2025 Golden Joystick Ceremony
The forty-third yearly Golden Joystick Awards unfolded this past week, and through an impressive show, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 claimed the title of the biggest winner. This surprise role-playing game from Sandfall Interactive secured the prestigious Ultimate Game of the Year award, along with prizes for Superb Storytelling and Best Visual Design.
Complementing the developer's success, its skilled cast also garnered individual awards. Jennifer English was named Outstanding Lead Performance for her performance as Maelle, while Ben Starr took home Best Supporting Actor for his acting as Verso. Additionally, Sandfall Interactive the studio was named Studio of the Year. Overall, Clair Obscur and its creative team collected 7 awards during the show.
Other notable winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which received Outstanding Audio and Console Game of the Year, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, honored with Top Self-Published Indie and PC Game of the Year. Worth mentioning, the bulk of Golden Joystick Awards are voted on by the public, with only 4 awards—Critics’ Choice, Rising Star, Hall of Fame inductee, and Streamer Selection—decided by reviewers.
Following is the entire list of honorees from the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards:
- Best Storytelling – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Excellence in Sound – 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
- Top Indie Title – Blue Prince
- Studio of the Year – Sandfall Interactive
- Top Early Access Title – REPO
- Top Score – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Mobile Game Still Played – Pokémon Go
- Still Playing - Consoles & PC – Minecraft
- Streamers’ Choice – Peak
- Best Remake / Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Breakthrough – Schedule I
- Best Gaming Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Top Game Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Supporting Performance Award – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Lead Performer – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hall of Fame – The Sims
- PC Game of the Year – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Console Game – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics Pick – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Wanted Game – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those who missed the full show, the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards is available to watch through streaming below.
