A New JRPG Heavyweight Enters the Arena
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has gone from intriguing newcomer to awards juggernaut in record time. Back in April, former Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider said the game was to JRPGs what Baldur’s Gate 3 was to classic RPGs. At the time it sounded bold. After the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards, it sounds accurate.
Two years after Baldur’s Gate 3 cleaned up with seven trophies at the Joysticks, Sandfall Interactive’s debut RPG has now tied that record. Clair Obscur did not just win big, it completely dominated the night and put its studio firmly on the map.
During the show, Sandfall CEO and creative director Guillaume Broche took the stage for Ultimate Game of the Year and you could see how surreal the moment was for the team. He thanked the developers at Sandfall, the players who voted, and admitted they were still trying to process how quickly their lives had changed. It felt less like a polished corporate speech and more like a group of devs who suddenly realized their passion project just became one of the biggest games on the planet.
Seven Big Wins for Clair Obscur and Sandfall
So what exactly did Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 take home at the Golden Joystick Awards 2025? In short, almost everything you would want an RPG to be recognized for.
- Ultimate Game of the Year The big one. Players voted Clair Obscur as the standout game of 2025 overall.
- Studio of the Year Sandfall Interactive went from unknown to studio of the year in a single release. That is the kind of leap we usually only see once in a generation.
- Best Storytelling The narrative clearly landed. For a JRPG inspired title, strong writing is essential, and this win backs up Gaider’s early praise.
- Best Visual Design Screens and trailers already suggested a stunning world. The award confirms that the art direction is just as impressive in motion.
- Best Soundtrack Audio can quietly make or break an RPG. Clair Obscur’s music did more than just support the game, it stood out enough to beat a crowded field.
- Best Lead Performer Jennifer English won for her lead role, suggesting that the central character work is a major emotional anchor for the story.
- Best Supporting Performer Ben Starr’s win for supporting performer points to a strong ensemble cast, not just a single standout.
Put together, that is a clean sweep across story, visuals, sound, performance, and overall quality. Baldur’s Gate 3 pulled off a similar alignment of strengths, and now Clair Obscur sits beside it as one of the rare games to hit that same mark at the Joysticks.
What makes this even more impressive is the competition. This is not a quiet year. Big names and long awaited titles were in the mix, but nothing came close to the sheer number of trophies Clair Obscur carried out.
How It Stacked Up Against Other 2025 Heavy Hitters
Clair Obscur might have been the star of the show, but it was far from the only winner. The Golden Joystick Awards covered a broad range of genres and platforms, and some familiar names made strong showings.
Ghost of Yotei picked up two awards, Best Audio Design and Console Game of the Year. That positions it as a must play if you are on console and care about immersive soundscapes.
Peak scored Best Multiplayer Game and Streamers Choice, which almost certainly means you will keep seeing it in your feeds and on Twitch. If you like competitive or coop experiences that live and die on community buzz, Peak is one to watch.
Hollow Knight: Silksong finally emerged with real, official recognition, taking Best Indie Game Self published and PC Game of the Year. After years of memes and waiting, that is a big validation moment for Team Cherry and for players who have been following the game since the first Hollow Knight.
Even games that are not out yet managed to crash the party. Grand Theft Auto 6 won Best Game Trailer for its second trailer and also nabbed Most Wanted Game. The PC release is still off in the distance, but clearly anticipation is sky high.
Other highlights included:
- Best Remake or Remaster The Elder Scrolls 4 Oblivion Remastered, giving classic RPG fans something to celebrate.
- Best Game Adaptation Arcane Season 2, proving that the League of Legends universe still translates incredibly well to TV.
- Still Playing Awards for Pokemon Go on mobile and Minecraft on PC and console, a reminder that live service giants are not going anywhere.
- Best Indie Game for Blue Prince and a Breakthrough Award for Schedule 1, both worth a look if you enjoy fresh, smaller scale experiences.
But even with this stacked lineup, the narrative of the night belonged to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Its seven trophy haul means that when people look back on 2025, this game will be at the center of the conversation.
The story does not end with the Golden Joysticks either. Clair Obscur recently became the most nominated game in the history of The Game Awards with eleven nominations. That even beats the eight nominations Baldur’s Gate 3 and Alan Wake 2 had in 2023. If the Golden Joysticks were the warning shot, The Game Awards might be the full victory lap.
For players, the takeaway is simple. If you love big story driven RPGs, especially ones with a JRPG flavor and heavy focus on character, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 just went from interesting to essential. This is the kind of breakout success that can redefine a genre and launch a studio into the same conversation as long running giants.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sandfall-interactive-expresses-shock-as-clair-obscur-expedition-33-matches-baldurs-gate-3s-record-setting-run-at-the-2025-golden-joystick-awards-what-the-f-k-is-happening/
