The Golden Joystick Awards, the longest-running awards show for video games, were held last night in London. Hosted by Resident Evil VII‘s Lady Dimitrescu voice actor Maggie Robertson, 25 awards were given out, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 winning seven of them.
Operated by Future Publishing, The Golden Joystick Awards is a British gaming award show whose winners are voted on by the public and which dates back to 1983; it’s been held annually since 2002. Now in its 43rd year, the categories have changed a lot since the five given out at the inaugural event. Highlights this year include R.E.P.O. winning Best Early Access Game and Hollow Knight: Silksong winning Best Indie Game (Self-Published). For a full list of winners, you can check the list on GamesRadar, also owned by Future.
Clair Obscur developers Sandfall Interactive were the biggest winners of the night, with their game, studio and actors taking home the awards for Best Storytelling, Best Visual Design, Studio of the Year, Best Soundtrack, Best Supporting Performer (Ben Starr), Best Lead Performer (Jennifer English), and Ultimate Game of the Year. This marks Starr’s third appearance at the show in a row, winning for his performance as Clive Rosfield from Final Fantasy XVI in 2023 and hosting in 2024.
Presenting the award for Best Lead Performer was Baldur’s Gate III actor Samantha Béart, who issued a mission statement to the creatives attending: “You are much too in the dark. We need to see more of you.” The nominees for the award were Troy Baker (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle), Tom McKay (Kingdom Come: Deliverance II), Alex Jordan (The Alters), Erika Ishii (Ghost of Yotei), Adriyan Rae (South of Midnight), and Jennifer English (Clair: Obscur: Expedition 33). The winner, with 43% of the vote, was English, for her role as Maelle.
Coming to the stage in a striped olive suit, English praised the “industry titans” she was up against in her impromptu speech before describing how falling in love with Baldur’s Gate III Performance Director Aliona Baranova helped her bring all of her emotions to the role of Maelle.“Maelle chooses to go on this crazy journey, choosing to leave behind a life that wasn’t serving her, and I did that a few years ago. I chose instead a life that was authentic, a life that was gay. I fell in love with a beautiful woman, who’s crying her eyes out right now,” English said. “And I chose queer joy. As a result of that queer joy I felt safe enough to pour my grief and pain and all that nonsense and joy and love into this incredibly beautifully written character. I am so proud of that and I just want to thank queer joy for that.”
Last night’s ceremony was live-streamed on GamesRadar’s YouTube page, where it can currently be watched in full. If you want to skip straight to English’s speech, which was the highlight of the whole event, just click the embed below.
Ultimate Game of the Year
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Split Fiction Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Peak Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Blue Prince Silent Hill f Ghost of Yōtei Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Hades II Donkey Kong Bananza Hollow Knight: Silksong
Critics’ Choice Award
Donkey Kong Bananza
Console Game of the Year
Ghost of Yōtei Donkey Kong Bananza Monster Hunter Wilds Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Mario Kart World
PC Game of the Year
Hollow Knight: Silksong The Alters Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Peak Abiotic Factor Dune: Awakening
Most Wanted Game
Grand Theft Auto VI Resident Evil Requiem The Witcher 4 Black Myth: Zhong Kui LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Night 007 First Light Exodus Subnautica 2 Light No Fire The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet SAROS The Blood of Dawnwalker Crimson Desert Kingdom Hearts IV Marvel’s Wolverine Hell Let Loose: Vietnam OD Knock Onimusha: Way of the Sword Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy
Best Lead Performer
Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Troy Baker, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Tom McKay, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Alex Jordan, The Alters
Erika Ishii, Ghost of Yōtei
Adriyan Rae, South of Midnight
Best Supporting Performer
Ben Starr, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Troy Baker, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Jim High, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Lucy Griffiths, Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream
Logan Cunningham, Hades II
Marios Gavrilis, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Best Game Adaptation
Arcane Devil May Cry The Last of Us Season 2 A Minecraft Movie Secret Level Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Best Gaming Hardware
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller
WD_BLACK SN8100 NVMe SSD
Elgato Facecam 4K
Razer Blade 16
Breakthrough
Schedule 1
Streamers’ Choice
Peak
Still Playing Award (PC & Console)
Minecraft Dead by Daylight Helldivers 2 Naraka: Bladepoint Satisfactory Call of Duty: Warzone Marvel Rivals Fortnite Apex Legends Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege X GTA Online Warframe
Still Playing Award (Mobile)
Pokémon Go Call of Duty: Mobile Subway Surfers Clash Royale Honkai: Star Rail Genshin Impact Zenless Zone Zero Roblox Free Fire PUBG Mobile
Best Early Access Game
R.E.P.O. Grounded 2 Schedule I 9 Kings Skate White Knuckle
Best Game Trailer
Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 2 Battlefield 6 Official Launch Live Action Trailer Rhythm Doctor Official Release Date Trailer The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Announcement Trailer Romeo Is a Dead Man Announcement Trailer Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Official CGI Trailer—Live a Life Medieval
Best Soundtrack
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 South of Midnight Silent Hill f Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream Deltarune Sword of the Sea
Studio of the Year
Sandfall Interactive
Team Cherry
Aggro Crab and Landfall
Bloober Team
Sloclap
Rebellion
Best Indie Game
Blue Prince Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector Wanderstop Skin Deep Despelote Herdling Abiotic Factor Baby Steps Caves of Qud Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor
Best Indie Game (Self Published)
Hollow Knight: Silksong Hades II Sword of the Sea Peak Keep Driving Spilled! Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders Deltarune Promise Mascot Agency Consume Me
Best Game Expansion
Lies of P: Overture Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants No Man’s Sky: Voyagers Atomfall Story Expansion Pack: The Red Strain Assassin’s Creed Shadows—Claws of Awaji Still Wakes the Deep: Siren’s Rest
Best Audio Design
Ghost of Yōtei Battlefield 6 Donkey Kong Bananza Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Two Point Museum Cronos: The New Dawn
Best Remake / Remaster
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remaster Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter The Talos Principle: Reawakened Gears of War: Reloaded Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4
Best Multiplayer Game
Peak Battlefield 6 Elden Ring Nightreign Split Fiction Mario Kart World Rematch
Best Visual Design
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach The Midnight Walk Ghost of Yōtei Sword of the Sea Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Best Storytelling
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Silent Hill f Blue Prince Mafia: The Old Country Lost Records: Bloom & Rage The Hundred Line—Last Defense Academy
