Clair Obscur Dominates at the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards
The forty-third yearly Golden Joystick Awards were hosted this past week, and in a stunning performance, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was crowned the most decorated winner. The surprise role-playing game by Sandfall Interactive won the prestigious Top Game award, along with prizes for Best Storytelling and Top Visual Design.
Enhancing the studio's triumph, its skilled performers also were honored with personal awards. Jennifer English was named Outstanding Lead Performance for her performance as Maelle, while Ben Starr took home Supporting Performance Award for his role as Verso. Moreover, Sandfall Interactive itself was named Studio of the Year. Altogether, Clair Obscur and its makers collected seven awards throughout the ceremony.
Additional standout winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which was awarded Outstanding Audio and Best Console Game, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, winning Outstanding Independent Game and PC Game of the Year. Worth mentioning, the lion's share of Golden Joystick Awards are selected by the audience, with only four categories—Critics Choice, Rising Star, Lifetime Achievement, and Streamers’ Choice—determined by reviewers.
Below is the entire list of winners from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025:
- Outstanding Narrative – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top Audio – Ghost of Yōtei
- Best Multiplayer – Peak
- Best Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Game Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Top Indie (Self-Published) – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Top Indie Title – Blue Prince
- Studio of the Year – Sandfall Interactive
- Best Early Access Game – REPO
- Top Score – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Mobile Game Still Played – Pokémon Go
- Console/PC Game Still Played – Minecraft
- Streamers’ Choice – Peak
- Best Remake / Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Rising Star Award – Schedule I
- Best Gaming Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best Game Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Supporting Performance Award – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Lead Actor – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Hall of Fame – The Sims
- Best PC Game – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Console Game of the Year – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics Pick – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Anticipated – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those missed out on the live show, the awards ceremony can be watched through streaming below.