Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a turn-based RPG from French studio Sandfall Interactive, won Game of the Year and eight other awards out of 13 nominations at The Game Awards 2025. Hosted by Geoff Keighley on December 11-12 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, the event drew a record 171 million livestream viewers across Twitch, YouTube, and Prime Video, while featuring major game announcements.
The Game Awards 2025, the eleventh edition of gaming's premier ceremony, celebrated the year's top titles across nearly 30 categories. Broadcast live online, it highlighted standout games following Astro Bot's 2024 victory and previewed future releases.
Game of the Year nominees included Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (leading with up to 12 nominations including Best Performance), Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hades 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominated, securing Game of the Year, Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, Best Soundtrack, Best Performance (Jennifer English), and others for a total of nine wins. The indie title's success spotlighted rising European talent.
Other winners: Hades II (Best Action Game), Hollow Knight: Silksong (Best Action-Adventure), Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves (Best Fighting Game), No Man’s Sky (Best Evolving Game), The Last of Us: Season 2 (Best Adaptation), Counter-Strike 2 (Best Esports Game), Team Vitality (Best Esports Team), and Chovy (Best Esports Player).
The show featured musical performances like Evanescence's 'Afterlife' and a live orchestra for nominee soundtracks. Key announcements included Larian Studios' Divinity trailer with live actors, Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, Control: Resonant, Tomb Raider remake and Catalyst, Capcom's Resident Evil: Requiem (February 27, 2026, with Leon Kennedy), and updates on Pragmata.
Viewers praised the sweep: 'If a game wins that many awards, it must have been made with passion,' said Riley Martin. The event's massive audience underscored gaming awards' cultural impact, influencing holiday buys.
