Expedition 33 Triumphs at the 2025 Golden Joystick Ceremony
The forty-third yearly Golden Joystick Awards unfolded recently, and through an impressive show, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 claimed the title of the biggest winner. This standout role-playing game by Sandfall Interactive won the esteemed Ultimate Game of the Year award, along with honors for Best Storytelling and Excellence in Visuals.
Enhancing the studio's achievements, the talented performers also were honored with individual awards. Jennifer English won Top Lead Actor for her portrayal as Maelle, while Ben Starr earned Supporting Performance Award for his role as Verso. Furthermore, Sandfall Interactive itself was honored as Studio of the Year. Overall, Clair Obscur and its creative team collected 7 awards during the show.
Other notable winners included Ghost of Yōtei, which was awarded Top Sound Design and Console Game of the Year, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, receiving Outstanding Independent Game and Premier PC Title. Notably, the bulk of Golden Joystick Awards are selected by the gamers, with only four categories—Critics' Pick, Rising Star, Hall of Fame, and Streamer Selection—determined by reviewers.
Here is the full list of honorees from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025:
- Top Story – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Excellence in Sound – Ghost of Yōtei
- Top Multiplayer Title – Peak
- Top Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Best Expansion – Lies of P: Overture
- Best Indie Game Self Published – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Top Indie Title – Blue Prince
- Top Studio – Sandfall Interactive
- Best Early Access Game – REPO
- Best Soundtrack – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Top Game Trailer – Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
- Still Playing - Mobile – Pokémon Go
- Console/PC Game Still Played – Minecraft
- Streamers’ Choice – Peak
- Best Remaster – The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Breakthrough – Schedule I
- Best Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
- Top Game Adaptation – Arcane Season 2
- Supporting Performance Award – Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Lead Performance Award – Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Lifetime Achievement – The Sims
- Top PC Title – Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Best Console Game – Ghost of Yōtei
- Critics Pick – Donkey Kong Bananza
- Most Wanted Title – Grand Theft Auto 6
- Ultimate Game – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
If you who missed the live show, the awards ceremony is available to watch online here.