Expedition 33 Sweeps at the 2025 Golden Joystick Ceremony
The 43rd annual Golden Joystick Awards took place recently, and with a remarkable performance, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerged as the top winner. The standout role-playing game from Sandfall Interactive won the esteemed Top Game award, along with accolades for Outstanding Narrative and Top Visual Design.
Adding to the studio's triumph, the talented actors also received individual awards. Jennifer English was named Top Lead Actor for her portrayal as Maelle, while Ben Starr earned Supporting Performance Award for his acting as Verso. Furthermore, Sandfall Interactive itself was honored as Studio of the Year. Altogether, Clair Obscur and its makers achieved seven awards throughout the event.
Other standout winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which won Outstanding Audio and Top Console Title, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, honored with Best Indie Game (Self-Published) and Best PC Game. Worth mentioning, the bulk of Golden Joystick Awards are chosen by the audience, with only 4 special—Critics’ Choice, Rising Star, Hall of Fame inductee, and Streamer Selection—decided by reviewers.
Following is the entire list of honorees from the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards:
- Best Storytelling – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Audio Design – Ghost of Yōtei
- Best Multiplayer Game – Peak
- Top 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
- Best Development Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Best Early Access – REPO
- Top Score – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top Game Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Mobile Game Still Played – Pokémon Go
- Still Playing - Consoles & PC – Minecraft
- Streamers' Pick – Peak
- Best Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Rising Star Award – Schedule I
- Best Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Best Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Best Supporting Actor – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Lead Performer – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Lifetime Achievement – The Sims
- Top PC Title – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Console Game of the Year – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics' Choice – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Anticipated – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
For those who missed the actual event, the Golden Joystick Awards 2025 can be watched online here.
