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Clair Obscur crowned Game of the Year at 2025 Game Awards
Los Angeles - The French-developed role-playing game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominated this year's Game Awards, securing the top prize along with eight additional categories, including best narrative and best music.
Record-breaking wins and emotional speeches
The indie RPG, created by Paris-based studio Sandfall Interactive, triumphed in nine of its 12 nominations, making it the most awarded game in the ceremony's history. Director Guillaume Broche, dressed in a red beret and striped shirt, accepted the Game of the Year award, calling the studio's journey a "weird timeline." He thanked his team and paid tribute to "the unsung heroes of the industry"-YouTube tutorial creators-who helped the developers learn game production from scratch.
Composer Lorien Testard, a first-time nominee, won Best Score for his work on the game's soundtrack, which he initially shared on SoundCloud. Actress Jennifer English, who voices the character Maelle, took home the Best Performance award. In her acceptance speech, English, who has spoken openly about her ADHD, dedicated the win to "every neurodivergent person watching."
Competition and near-misses
Clair Obscur outperformed heavyweight contenders, including Death Stranding 2, Nintendo's Donkey Kong Bananza, and sequels like Hollow Knight: Silksong and Hades 2. The game fell short in only two categories: Best Audio Design, which went to Battlefield 6, and the fan-voted Player's Voice award, surprisingly claimed by Wuthering Waves.
Other major winners and announcements
The ceremony also served as a platform for high-profile game reveals. Attendees saw first looks at two new Tomb Raider titles, a sequel to Control titled Resonant, and a new Star Wars RPG. Larian Studios, the developer behind last year's Game of the Year winner Baldur's Gate 3, unveiled Divinity, teasing its announcement with a cryptic desert statue.
Additional trailers included the first footage of the Street Fighter movie adaptation (minus rapper 50 Cent), Resident Evil 9 confirming the return of fan-favorite Leon Kennedy, and the PS5 shooter Saros.
Controversies and industry criticism
Despite praise for addressing past criticisms-such as shortening acceptance speeches and omitting on-stage presentations-the Game Awards faced backlash for discontinuing its Future Class initiative. Launched in 2020 to spotlight emerging talent, the program was last held in 2023. Alumni accused the awards of tokenism, claiming the scheme failed to provide meaningful career support. In response to inquiries from BBC Newsbeat, organizers have not yet commented.
Last year's ceremony introduced a new "Game Changer" award to recognize Amir Satvat for his work helping laid-off developers. However, industry observers continue to urge host Geoff Keighley to address broader issues, including widespread job losses in gaming.
About Clair Obscur
Set in a world where a supernatural entity, The Paintress, enforces an age limit on humanity, Clair Obscur follows a group of adventurers on a quest to defeat her. The game earned acclaim for its emotional storytelling and retro-inspired turn-based combat. Its success marks a milestone for Sandfall Interactive, a studio founded by former Ubisoft employees pursuing their creative vision.
