Clair Obscur Triumphs at the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards
The forty-third annual Golden Joystick Awards were hosted this past week, and with a remarkable performance, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was crowned the top winner. This standout role-playing game by Sandfall Interactive won the esteemed Top Game award, along with prizes for Best Storytelling and Best Visual Design.
Complementing the developer's triumph, the skilled performers also garnered personal awards. Jennifer English won Outstanding Lead Performance for her role as Maelle, while Ben Starr took home Best Supporting Actor for his work as Verso. Additionally, Sandfall Interactive itself was named Best Development Team. In total, Clair Obscur and its developers won seven awards during the event.
Other standout winners featured Ghost of Yōtei, which received Top Sound Design and Console Game of the Year, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, winning Best Indie Game (Self-Published) and PC Game of the Year. It is important to note, the lion's share of Golden Joystick Awards are selected by the public, with only four categories—Critics' Pick, Breakthrough Award, Hall of Fame inductee, and Streamer Selection—determined by experts.
Here is the complete list of honorees from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025:
- Top Story – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top Audio – Ghost of Yōtei
- Best Multiplayer Game – Peak
- Top Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top DLC – 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
- Top Score – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Still Playing - Mobile – Pokémon Go
- Still Playing (Console/PC) – Minecraft
- Streamers' Pick – Peak
- Best Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Breakthrough Award – Schedule I
- Best Gaming Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best Game Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Best Supporting Actor – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Lead Performer – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hall of Fame Inductee – The Sims
- Top PC Title – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Console Game – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics Pick – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Wanted Game – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those missed out on the live show, the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards is available to watch via video below.