The Golden Joystick Awards 2025 have officially announced their nominations, allowing gaming enthusiasts to cast their votes across an impressive 21 categories. This year’s competition is shaping up to be particularly interesting, as a standout title has emerged: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from Sandfall Interactive.
Marking their inaugural offering, this debut title has garnered six nominations, including a nod for Best Studio. However, it does find itself absent from several high-profile categories, most notably the Console Game of the Year. Nevertheless, Clair Obscur shines brightly in other areas, competing for accolades such as Best Storytelling, Best Visual Design, Best Soundtrack, Best Leading Performer for Jennifer English in her role as Maelle, and Best Supporting Performer for Ben Starr as Verso.
Other noteworthy contenders with multiple nominations include titles like Hollow Knight: Silksong, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and Ghost of Yōtei. These three titles are currently tied for second place behind Clair Obscur, each earning four nominations of their own.
Anticipation grows as the Ultimate Game of the Year category remains to be unveiled. There’s still a chance for both Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and some of its rivals to receive additional nominations. The final list is set to be disclosed on November 3, 2025.
It is important to note that while the nominees for the Golden Joystick Awards are determined by a panel of judges, the final winners are exclusively chosen through public voting. This unique approach ensures a genuine reflection of player preferences regarding the year’s most exemplary video games. Last year’s accolade for Ultimate Game of the Year was awarded to Black Myth: Wukong.
Complete Nominees for the Golden Joystick Awards 2025
Best Storytelling
- Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33
- SILENT HILL f
- Blue Prince
- Mafia: The Old Country
- Lost Records: Bloom & Rage
- The Hundred Line – Last Defense Academy
Best Visual Design
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33
- The Midnight Walk
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Sword of the Sea
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows
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
Still Playing Award – PC and 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
- Call of Duty: Mobile
- Pokémon GO
- Subway Surfers
- Clash Royale
- Honkai: Star Rail
- Genshin Impact
- Zenless Zone Zero
- Roblox
- Free Fire
- PUBG MOBILE
Best Remake / Remaster
- METAL GEAR SOLID Δ: SNAKE EATER
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
- Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter
- The Talos Principle: Reawakened
- Gears of War: Reloaded
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4
Studio of the Year
- Team Cherry
- Sandfall Interactive
- Aggro Crab and Landfall
- Bloober Team
- Sloclap
- Rebellion
Best Game Expansion
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants
- Lies of P: Overture
- 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 Soundtrack
- Chiaroscuro: Expedition 33
- South of Midnight
- SILENT HILL f
- Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream
- DELTARUNE
- Sword of the Sea
Best Lead Performer
- Jennifer English – Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Troy Baker – Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Tom McKay – Henry in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- Alex Jordan – Jan Dolski in The Alters
- Erika Ishii – Atsu in Ghost of Yōtei
- Adriyan Rae – Hazel in South of Midnight
Best Supporting Performer
- Troy Baker – Higgs Monaghan in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Jim High – Erik in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- Ben Starr – Verso in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Lucy Griffiths – Alva in Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream
- Logan Cunningham – Hades II
- Marios Gavrilis – Emmerich Voss in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
PC Game of the Year
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- The Alters
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- PEAK
- Abiotic Factor
- Dune: Awakening
Console Game of the Year
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- Monster Hunter Wilds
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
- Mario Kart World
Best Early Access Game
- Grounded 2
- Schedule I
- 9 Kings
- REPO
- skate.
- White Knuckle
Best Gaming Hardware
- Nintendo Switch 2
- Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller
- WD_BLACK SN8100 NVMe SSD
- Elgato Facecam 4K
- Razer Blade 16
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
Best Game Adaptation
- Devil May Cry (Netflix)
- Arcane Season 2 (Netflix)
- The Last of Us Season 2 (HBO)
- A Minecraft Movie (Warner Bros. Pictures)
- Secret Level (Prime Video)
- Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Paramount Pictures)
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
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
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