Is this a sign of what’s to come this gaming awards season? At the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards in London tonight (November 20), Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 didn’t just make a statement — it dominated the show in the same way Baldur’s Gate 3 did in 2023.
Expedition 33 won everything it was initially nominated for: Best Storytelling, Best Visual Design, Best Soundtrack, and Best Performer and Supporting Performer, thanks to superstar performances from Jennifer English (Maelle) and Ben Starr (Verso). It crucially rose above the packed field that made up 2025’s Ultimate Game of the Year shortlist to take home the biggest prize of the night. To top it all off, the game’s developer, Sandfall Interactive, won Studio of the Year.
Despite sweeping the big categories, Expedition 33 wasn’t the only multi-award-winning game of the night — four more took home two trophies apiece:
- Ghost of Yōtei (Best Audio Design, Console Game of the Year);
- Hollow Knight: Silksong (Best Indie Game – Self-Published, PC Game of the Year);
- Peak (Best Multiplayer Game, Streamers’ Choice); and
- Grand Theft Auto VI (Best Game Trailer, Most Wanted).
There were a couple of good news stories elsewhere; Blue Prince took home the Best Indie Game award — thoroughly deserved, even if I personally adore Despelote — and Donkey Kong Bananza got its moment in the sun in the Critics’ Choice Award.
Still, it’s not all sweetness and light. As much as Peak is a real delight and utterly hilarious, Split Fiction is the closest to a true 10/10 experience for me. Hopefully it gets the awards it deserves elsewhere.
The 2025 Golden Joystick Awards winners in full
NB: All awards are by public vote, unless highlighted.
Best Storytelling
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Best Audio Design
Ghost of Yōtei
Best Multiplayer Game
Peak
Best Visual Design
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Best Game Expansion
Lies of P: Overture
Best Indie Game (Self-Published)
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Best Indie Game
Blue Prince
Studio of the Year
Sandfall Interactive
Best Early Access Game
R.E.P.O.
Best Soundtrack
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Best Game Trailer
Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 2
Still Playing (Mobile)
Pokémon GO
Still Playing (Consoles & PC)
Minecraft
Streamers’ Choice
Peak (critically chosen)
Best Remake / Remaster
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
Breakthrough Award
Schedule I (critically chosen)
Best Gaming Hardware
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
Best Game Adaptation
Arcane Season 2
Best Supporting Performer
Ben Starr (Verso, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Best Lead Performer
Jennifer English (Maelle, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Hall of Fame
The Sims (critically chosen)
PC Game of the Year
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Console Game of the Year
Ghost of Yōtei
Critics’ Choice Award
Donkey Kong Bananza (critically chosen)
Most Wanted Game
Grand Theft Auto VI
Ultimate Game of the Year
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
