Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Dominates The Game Awards 2025 in a Historic Sweep
If you were watching The Game Awards 2025 hoping for a nail-biter of a finish, you probably walked away disappointed. But if you were one of the millions of fans who fell in love with Sandfall Interactive’s breakout hit back in April, last night was basically a victory lap. The evening wasn’t so much an awards show as it was a coronation for Expedition 33, the turn-based RPG that has officially defined the gaming landscape for the year.
We have seen games sweep before, but rarely with this level of ferocity. Sandfall Interactive walked into the venue as a hopeful indie studio and walked out needing a forklift to carry their hardware home. Securing a staggering nine awards, including the coveted Game of the Year, Expedition 33 has cemented itself as a modern classic.
A Night to Remember for Sandfall Interactive
It is hard to overstate just how massive this is for a debut title. Usually, new studios have to cut their teeth on smaller projects before swinging for the fences, but Sandfall Interactive decided to skip the warm-up. Expedition 33 didn’t just win; it commanded the room.
The team took home the big one, Game of the Year, validating the thousands of hours players have poured into this hauntingly beautiful world. But the love didn’t stop at the top prize. The game also snagged Best Game Direction and Best Narrative. For a genre that relies so heavily on storytelling, winning Best Narrative is the ultimate seal of approval. It proves that the emotional beats of the story landed just as hard as the combat mechanics.
Speaking of mechanics, the title also secured Best Role-Playing Game. In an era where the definition of an RPG gets blurrier by the year, seeing a game that embraces turn-based combat with such modern flair take the crown feels like a win for old-school fans and newcomers alike.
Visuals and Sound That Define a Generation
We have to talk about the look of this game. “Clair Obscur” refers to a painting technique involving strong contrasts between light and dark, and the developers clearly took that to heart. It was no surprise to anyone with working eyeballs that Expedition 33 took home Best Art Direction. The game is a painting come to life, a stunning display of aesthetic confidence that separates it from the hyper-realistic shooters that usually crowd the nominations list.
The auditory experience was just as celebrated. Lorien Testard picked up the trophy for Best Score and Music. If you have played the game, you know exactly why. The soundtrack does a lot of heavy lifting in setting the game’s melancholic yet hopeful tone. And let’s not forget the voice talent. The incredible Jennifer English took home the award for Best Performance. Her work in Expedition 33 brought a level of humanity and vulnerability that clearly resonated with the voting jury.
The Indie Debate and The One That Got Away
Of course, it wouldn’t be The Game Awards without a little bit of category confusion. Expedition 33 won both Best Indie Game and Best Debut Indie Game. This is bound to reignite the eternal internet discourse about what actually constitutes an “indie” game in 2025, considering the production value on display here looks better than most triple-A blockbusters. But regardless of the budget or publisher backing, the spirit of the game feels uniquely independent and creative.
However, the night wasn’t entirely perfect. There was one lone category where the juggernaut stumbled. In a moment of unintentional comedy, the clean sweep was ruined by Battlefield 6, which managed to snag the award for Best Sound Design. Apparently, the crisp sound of explosions and chaotic gunfire was enough to edge out the atmospheric magic of Expedition 33. It is a funny footnote in an otherwise flawless evening for Sandfall Interactive.
What This Means for 2026
The dominance of Expedition 33 sends a clear message to the industry: players are hungry for style, substance, and turn-based combat that respects their time. We are seeing a renaissance of the genre, and Sandfall Interactive is leading the charge.
Seeing a debut studio outperform established giants is the kind of underdog story we live for in this industry. It reminds us that creativity still wins out over massive marketing budgets. As we look toward 2026, the bar has been raised. Expedition 33 isn’t just the Game of the Year; it is the game of the moment. If you haven’t played it yet, you are officially out of excuses.
