Clair Obscur Triumphs at the 2025's Golden Joystick Ceremony
The forty-third annual Golden Joystick Awards were hosted this past week, and with a remarkable performance, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was crowned the biggest winner. The standout role-playing game from Sandfall Interactive won the prestigious Ultimate Game of the Year award, along with accolades for Best Storytelling and Best Visual Design.
Complementing the developer's triumph, its talented actors also garnered personal awards. Jennifer English won Best Lead Performer for her portrayal as Maelle, while Ben Starr earned Best Supporting Actor for his work as Verso. Moreover, Sandfall Interactive the studio was named Studio of the Year. Altogether, Clair Obscur and its developers collected seven awards throughout the show.
Additional notable winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which was awarded Top Sound Design and Top Console Title, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, winning Top Self-Published Indie and Premier PC Title. It is important to note, the lion's share of Golden Joystick Awards are voted on by the audience, with only 4 awards—Critics’ Choice, Rising Star, Hall of Fame, and Streamers’ Choice—determined by reviewers.
Below is the full list of honorees from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025:
- Best Storytelling – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Audio Design – Ghost of Yōtei
- Top Multiplayer Title – Peak
- Top Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Game Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Top Indie (Self-Published) – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Indie Game – Blue Prince
- Best Development Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Top Early Access Title – REPO
- Best Soundtrack – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Game Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Mobile Game Still Played – Pokémon Go
- Still Playing - Consoles & PC – Minecraft
- Streamer Favorite – Peak
- Best Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Breakthrough – Schedule I
- Top Gaming Gear – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best 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
- Console Game of the Year – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics’ Choice Award – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Anticipated – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those missed out on the full event, the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards is available to watch through streaming following this article.
