Expedition 33 Triumphs at the 2025 Golden Joystick Ceremony
The forty-third annual Golden Joystick Awards were hosted this past week, and in a stunning show, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerged as the top winner. The breakout role-playing game from Sandfall Interactive secured the esteemed Top Game award, along with accolades for Superb Storytelling and Excellence in Visuals.
Adding to the developer's achievements, the gifted performers also were honored with individual awards. Jennifer English won Best Lead Performer for her role as Maelle, while Ben Starr won Supporting Performance Award for his work as Verso. Moreover, Sandfall Interactive itself received Studio of the Year. Overall, Clair Obscur and its makers achieved 7 awards throughout the ceremony.
Other notable winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which won Outstanding Audio and Console Game of the Year, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, honored with Outstanding Independent Game and Best PC Game. Worth mentioning, the bulk of Golden Joystick Awards are voted on by the audience, with only four categories—Critics Choice, Breakthrough Award, Lifetime Achievement, and Streamers' Favorite—judged by reviewers.
Following is the complete list of award recipients from the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards:
- Best Storytelling – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Audio Design – Ghost of Yōtei
- Top Multiplayer Title – Peak
- Top Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Top Indie (Self-Published) – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Indie Game – Blue Prince
- Best Development Studio – 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 - Consoles & PC – Minecraft
- Streamers' Pick – Peak
- Best Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Rising Star Award – Schedule I
- Top Gaming Gear – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Top 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’ Choice Award – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Anticipated – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those who missed the actual event, the awards ceremony is available to watch via video here.
