Expedition 33 Triumphs at the 2025 Golden Joystick Ceremony
The 43rd annual Golden Joystick Awards were hosted recently, and with a remarkable display, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 claimed the title of the biggest winner. This standout role-playing game from Sandfall Interactive earned the prestigious Ultimate Game of the Year award, along with honors for Best Storytelling and Top Visual Design.
Enhancing the developer's triumph, its talented actors also received personal awards. Jennifer English received Top Lead Actor for her performance as Maelle, while Ben Starr earned Supporting Performance Award for his work as Verso. Furthermore, Sandfall Interactive the studio was named Top Studio. In total, Clair Obscur and its creative team achieved 7 awards during the show.
Additional standout winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which received Outstanding Audio and Best Console Game, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, honored with Best Indie Game (Self-Published) and Premier PC Title. It is important to note, the lion's share of Golden Joystick Awards are voted on by the public, with only 4 categories—Critics’ Choice, Breakthrough Award, Hall of Fame inductee, and Streamers’ Choice—determined by reviewers.
Here is the full list of award recipients from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025:
- Best Storytelling – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Excellence in Sound – Ghost of Yōtei
- Best Multiplayer Game – Peak
- Best Visuals – 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
- Top Early Access Title – REPO
- Best Soundtrack – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Still Playing (Mobile) – Pokémon Go
- Console/PC Game Still Played – Minecraft
- Streamers' Pick – Peak
- Best Remake / Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Rising Star Award – Schedule I
- Top Gaming Gear – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Best Supporting Actor – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Lead Actor – 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’ Choice Award – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Anticipated – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
If you missed out on the actual ceremony, the Golden Joystick Awards 2025 can be watched online following this article.
