By Complete list of champions disclosed
Today was not solely focused on the Xbox Partner Preview Showcase – it also marked an occasion to honor the finest games from the past year, with the Golden Joystick Awards hosted in London.
As anticipated, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominated the event, securing four awards including the prestigious Game of the Year title, which was determined by public vote.
Regarding Xbox’s own development studios, Minecraft earned the “Still Playing” award for consoles and PC, while The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered received the recognition for “best remake/remaster” in a separate public voting round.
“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerged as the evening’s top achiever, clinching – Ultimate Game of the Year, Best Storytelling, Best Visual Design, and Best Soundtrack. The game’s leading actress Jennifer English secured the Best Lead Performer award for her portrayal of Maelle, while Ben Starr bagged Best Supporting Performer for his character Verso. Sandfall Interactive, the team behind the game, was also awarded Studio of the Year.
Additional multiple award recipients included Ghost of Yōtei, taking home two honors for Best Audio Design and Console Game of the Year; Hollow Knight: Silksong for Best Indie Game – Self-Published and PC Game of the Year; Grand Theft Auto VI for Best Game Trailer and Most Wanted, as well as PEAK, which won two accolades for Best Multiplayer Game and Streamers’ Choice.”
In total, there were 12 titles competing for Game of the Year at the Golden Joysticks 2025, with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle among them. Regrettably, it did not manage to secure any awards, but it shares that fate with strong contenders – even Split Fiction did not walk away with an award this year, underscoring the intense competition!
We will conclude with the comprehensive list of victors from the Golden Joystick Awards 2025 below.
- Best Storytelling – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (public vote)
- Best Audio Design – Ghost of Yōtei (public vote)
- Best Multiplayer Game – PEAK (public vote)
- Best Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (public vote)
- Best Game Expansion – Lies of P: Overture (public vote)
- Best Indie Game Self Published – Hollow Knight: Silksong (public vote)
- Best Indie Game – Blue Prince (public vote)
- Studio of the Year – Sandfall Interactive (public vote)
- Best Early Access Game – R.E.P.O (public vote)
- Best Soundtrack – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (public vote)
- Best Game Trailer – Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 2 (public vote)
- Still Playing – Mobile – Pokémon GO (public vote)
- Still Playing – Consoles & PC – Minecraft (public vote)
- Streamers’ Choice – PEAK (critically chosen)
- Best Remake / Remaster – The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered (public vote)
- Breakthrough Award – Schedule I (critically chosen)
- Best Gaming Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (public vote)
- Best Game Adaptation – Arcane Season 2 (public vote)
- Best Supporting Performer – Ben Starr (public vote)
- Best Lead Performer – Jennifer English (public vote)
- Hall of Fame – The Sims (critically chosen)
- PC Game of the Year – Hollow Knight: Silksong (public vote)
- Console Game of the Year – Ghost of Yōtei (public vote)
- Critics’ Choice Award – Donkey Kong Bananza (critically chosen)
- Most Anticipated Game – Grand Theft Auto VI (public vote)
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (public vote)
What do you think about these champions? Share your opinions in the comments section below.
Fraser is the News Editor at Pure Xbox, where he dedicates his time to covering the most significant stories in the realm of Xbox and beyond.