The Game Awards 2025: ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’ dominates with nine wins, including Game of the Year

The Game Awards 2025 wrapped Thursday night in Los Angeles with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerging as the ceremony’s defining force, taking home Game of the Year and eight additional trophies. The historic record-breaking tally positioned the debut RPG as one of the most decorated winners in the ceremony’s history.

Sandfall Interactive’s debut title, released in partnership with Kepler Interactive, led the field in a year crowded with major franchise entries and high-profile sequels. The dark fantasy RPG topped categories spanning direction, narrative, independent achievement, role-playing design, art direction, performance and score — an unusually broad sweep that highlighted the game’s impact across both technical and creative arenas. Jennifer English won Best Performance for her role in the project, while Lorien Testard earned the night’s music prize for the game’s original score.

The Game of the Year lineup reflected one of the most diverse slates in recent memory, with nominees ranging from Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Hades II to Donkey Kong Bananza, Hollow Knight: Silksong and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. Despite strong showings throughout the year, none matched the awards momentum of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Other notable wins included Arc Raiders for Best Multiplayer, Mario Kart World for Best Sports/Racing Game and Baldur’s Gate 3 for Best Community Support. In audio categories, Battlefield 6 secured Best Audio Design, while No Man’s Sky was recognized as Best Ongoing Game. South of Midnight took Games for Impact, and Umamusume: Pretty Derby won Best Mobile Game.

The ceremony also delivered a series of reveals and unexpected moments, including new footage from Control Resident, updates on Resident Evil Requiem, a casting announcement for a Street Fighter film adaptation and confirmation of a new Mega Man title in development. Grand Theft Auto VI was aslo named the Most Anticipated Game and The Last of Us: Season 2 took home Best Adaptation.

Here is a complete list of winners

Game of the Year

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — WINNER

Best Game Direction

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — WINNER

Best Narrative

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — WINNER

Best Art Direction

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — WINNER

Best Score & Music

Lorien Testard — Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — WINNER

Best Audio Design

Battlefield 6 — WINNER

Best Performance

Jennifer English — Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — WINNER

Innovation in Accessibility

Doom: The Dark Ages — WINNER

Games for Impact

South of Midnight — WINNER

Best Ongoing Game

No Man’s Sky — WINNER

Best Community Support

Baldur’s Gate 3 — WINNER

Best Independent Game

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — WINNER

Best Debut Indie Game

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — WINNER

Best Mobile Game

Umamusume: Pretty Derby — WINNER

Best VR/AR Game

The Midnight Walk — WINNER

Best Action Game

Hades II — WINNER

Best Action/Adventure Game

Hollow Knight: Silksong — WINNER

Best RPG

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — WINNER

Best Fighting Game

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves — WINNER

Best Family Game

Donkey Kong Bananza — WINNER

Best Sim/Strategy Game

Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles — WINNER

Best Sports/Racing Game

Mario Kart World — WINNER

Best Multiplayer Game

Arc Raiders — WINNER

Best Adaptation

The Last of Us: Season 2 — WINNER

Most Anticipated Game

Grand Theft Auto VI — WINNER

Content Creator of the Year

MoistCr1TiKaL — WINNER

Best Esports Game

Counter-Strike 2 — WINNER

Best Esports Athlete

Chovy (Jeong Ji-hoon) — WINNER

Best Esports Team

Team Vitality — Counter-Strike 2 — WINNER

Players’ Voice

Wuthering Waves — WINNER