• Source:JND

The Game Awards 2025 unfolded on 11 December, delivering a packed night of announcements, global premieres and fiercely contested categories. But the biggest talking point of the evening was the unprecedented sweep by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, an indie project that rose far beyond expectations to define the show.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – The World Behind The Sweep

Set in a universe ruled by a supernatural figure known as The Paintress, Clair Obscur explores a society where people are unable to age past a fixed point. The story follows a band of adventurers who set out to end The Paintress’ control, blending emotional storytelling with old-school turn-based battles. This concise, focused premise became one of the year’s most talked-about experiences.

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Players were equally drawn to the story behind its creation. Sandfall Interactive — founded by former Ubisoft developers who left to pursue their dream project — quickly became a symbol of creative risk-taking in the modern indie space.

Accepting the Game of the Year award, director Guillaume Broche, wearing a red beret and striped t-shirt, reflected on the studio’s journey, calling the year a “weird timeline”. He extended gratitude to the “unsung heroes” of development — “the people who make tutorials on YouTube on how to make a game, because we had no idea how to make one before”.

The game entered the ceremony as the most-nominated title in the show’s history with 12 nods, ultimately winning nine awards, including Best Role-Playing Game, Best Independent Game, and Best Debut Indie Game. Composer Lorien Testard, discovered through homemade music uploads on SoundCloud, won Best Score and Music.

In Best Performance, where the game held three nominations, Jennifer English won for her portrayal of Maelle, dedicating the award “to every neurodivergent person watching”.

Full List Of Other Winners

Best Multiplayer: Arc Raiders

Best Sports/Racing: Mario Kart World

Best Community Support: Baldur’s Gate 3

Best Audio Design: Battlefield 6

Best Action: Hades 2

Best Action/Adventure: Hollow Knight: Silksong

Best Family Game: Donkey Kong Bananza

Best Fighting Game: Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves

Best Mobile Game: Umamusume: Pretty Derby

Best Ongoing Game: No Man’s Sky

Best Strategy/Sim: Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles

Best AR/VR: The Midnight Walk

Best Adaptation: The Last of Us Season 2

Innovation in Accessibility: Doom: The Dark Ages

Games for Impact: South of Midnight

Best Esports Game: Counter-Strike 2

Best Esports Athlete: Chovy

Best Esports Team: Team Vitality

Content Creator of the Year: MoistCr1tikal

Most Anticipated Game: Grand Theft Auto 6

Players’ Voice: Wuthering Waves

Game Changer Award: Girls Make Games

Major Trailers And Announcements

The night also revealed a new slate of blockbuster worlds. IGN reported the teaser for Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, described as set “across a galaxy on the brink of rebirth where every decision shapes your path towards light or darkness”.

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A mysterious statue in the Mojave Desert was confirmed to be part of the reveal for Larian Studios’ new project, Divinity, which the studio called their biggest game yet.

Additional reveals included a new trailer for Tomb Raider: Catalyst, confirmation of Control: Resonant, and the announcement that Leon S. Kennedy will be playable in Resident Evil Requiem, releasing on 27 February 2026.


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