14 December 2025
Newsdesk
The French-developed role-playing game (RPG) Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominated the 2025 Game Awards, taking home a record-breaking nine trophies, including the coveted Game of the Year prize. The title fended off strong competition from rivals like Death Stranding 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Hades 2 to claim the top honor.
Clair Obscur achieved victory in nine of its 10 nominations, securing wins for Best Narrative, Best Score and Music, Best Role-Playing Game, Best Independent Game, and Best Debut Indie Game. The game, which follows a quest to destroy a supernatural being that limits the population's age, was widely praised for its emotional depth and old-school, turn-based combat.
Accepting the Game of the Year award, director Guillaume Broche, wearing a red beret as a nod to the studio’s strong French identity, thanked his team and the "unsung heroes" who create online tutorials for aspiring developers. The success story of developer Sandfall Interactive, formed by former Ubisoft employees to realize their dream project, resonated strongly with the industry.
Individual honors also went to the game's team, with composer Lorien Testard—who was discovered after posting music on SoundCloud—winning Best Score and Music. The game also won Best Performance, with actress Jennifer English claiming the prize over her co-stars for her role as Maelle. English, who has often spoken about having ADHD, dedicated her award "to every neurodivergent person watching."
Despite its near-perfect night, Clair Obscur missed out on Best Audio Design (won by Battlefield 6) and the fan-voted Player's Voice award (won by Wuthering Waves).
The ceremony, dubbed the "Oscars of gaming," also featured major trailer reveals, including two new Tomb Raider games, a sequel to Control, and the long-awaited Star Wars RPG, Fate of the Old Republic.
