Sandfall Interactive expresses shock as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 matches Baldur's Gate 3's record-setting run at the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards: 'What the f**k is happening'

Back in April, former Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider described Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as "kind of to JRPGs what Baldur's Gate 3 was to CRPGs." He was more than just a little correct, as it turns out: Two years after Baldur's Gate 3 won a record seven Golden Joystick awards, including Studio of the Year, Clair Obscur tied the mark at the 2025 event—including a Studio of the Year win for Sandfall Interactive.

"We know we are lucky enough to experience all of this, so we just want to share the deep feeling that we all have," Sandfall Interactive CEO and creative director Guillaume Broche said, accepting the Golden Joystick trophy for Ultimate Game of the Year. "What the fuck is happening right now?

"It's been an unbelievable year for us. We don't really fathom everything that's going on, but I just want to say a massive, massive, massive thank you, first to all the formidable people who worked on this game at Sandfall Interactive. But also, a huge thank you to all the players around the world who voted for us.

"It's been incredible, really the most wonderful year of our lives, basically. You changed us as people, and you changed our lives ... So just, a very humble, and very, very, comes from the heart, thank you to the players. Thank you so much."

Matching Baldur's Gate 3's 2023 total of Golden Joystick wins in no small feat: Larian's RPG opus is still vying for awards, more than two years after it released, a testament to just how powerfully good it is. Here's the full tally of Clair Obscur's dominance:

• Best Lead Performer - Jennifer English (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
• Best Soundtrack - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Best Storytelling - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Best Supporting Performer - Ben Starr (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
• Best Visual Design - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Studio of the Year - Sandfall Interactive
• Ultimate Game of the Year - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Nothing else came close. Ghost of Yotei took two wins, for Best Audio Design and Console Game of the Year, Peak claimed a pair for Best Multiplayer Game and Streamers' Choice, Silksong took two for Best Indie Game - Self-published and PC Game of the Year, and Grand Theft Auto 6 may still be a whole year away (and a whole lot longer than that for PC) but it won two trophies as well, for Best Game Trailer and (surprise) Most Wanted Game. All commendable, and all very distant.

There's a good chance that trend will continue. Earlier this week, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 became the most-nominated game in the history of The Game Awards, with 11 nominations—outstripping the eight noms earned by Baldur's Gate 3 (and, for the record, Alan Wake 2) at the 2023 Game Awards.

You can catch the whole show in the video above, or if you want to get straight to the full list of Golden Joysticks 2025 winners , you can dive into that, courtesy of GamesRadar, below.

• Best Audio Design - Ghost of Yotei
• Best Early Access Game - R.E.P.O.
• Best Game Adaptation - Arcane Season 2
• Best Game Expansion - Lies of P: Overture
• Best Game Trailer - Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2
• Best Gaming Hardware - AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
• Best Indie Game - Blue Prince
• Best Indie Game - Self-published - Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Best Lead Performer - Jennifer English
• Best Multiplayer Game - Peak
• Best Remake / Remaster - The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
• Best Soundtrack - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Best Storytelling - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Best Supporting Performer - Ben Starr
• Best Visual Design - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Breakthrough Award - Schedule 1
• Console Game of the Year - Ghost of Yōtei
• Critics' Choice - Donkey Kong Bananza
• Most Wanted Game - GTA 6
• PC Game of the Year - Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Still Playing - Mobile - Pokemon Go
• Still Playing - PC & Console - Minecraft
• Streamers' Choice - Peak
• Studio of the Year - Sandfall Interactive
• Ultimate Game of the Year - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33