Expedition 33 Dominates at the 2025 Golden Joystick Ceremony
The 43rd annual Golden Joystick Awards took place on Thursday, and in a stunning show, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 claimed the title of the top winner. The breakout role-playing game from Sandfall Interactive secured the prestigious Ultimate Game of the Year award, along with prizes for Superb Storytelling and Excellence in Visuals.
Complementing the studio's achievements, its talented performers also garnered personal awards. Jennifer English was named Outstanding Lead Performance for her portrayal as Maelle, while Ben Starr took home Supporting Performance Award for his work as Verso. Furthermore, Sandfall Interactive itself received Top Studio. Overall, Clair Obscur and its developers achieved 7 awards during the show.
Other major winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which won Best Audio Design and Top Console Title, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, receiving Top Self-Published Indie and Premier PC Title. It is important to note, the bulk of Golden Joystick Awards are voted on by the gamers, with only 4 special—Critics Choice, Breakthrough, Hall of Fame inductee, and Streamers' Favorite—determined by experts.
Here is the entire list of honorees from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025:
- Best Storytelling – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top Audio – Ghost of Yōtei
- Best Multiplayer – Peak
- Best Visuals – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Game Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Best Indie Game Self Published – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Top Indie Title – Blue Prince
- Studio of the Year – Sandfall Interactive
- Best Early Access – REPO
- Best Soundtrack – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Still Playing - Mobile – Pokémon Go
- Still Playing (Console/PC) – Minecraft
- Streamer Favorite – Peak
- Best Remake / Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Breakthrough – Schedule I
- Best Gaming Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best Game Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Best Supporting Performer – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Lead Performance Award – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Lifetime Achievement – 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
If you who missed the live show, the awards ceremony can be viewed through streaming here.
