One game owned the room at The Game Awards this year. “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,” a surprise role-playing hit from Sandfall Interactive, walked away with nine trophies, including Game of the Year, leaving competitors and fans stunned, smiling, and maybe a little jealous.
The night blended celebration, shock, and a sense that something special had landed in gaming culture.
A Breakout Winner That Few Saw Coming
“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” entered the ceremony with strong buzz but still carried the label of an underdog. By the end of the night, that label was gone.
Out of 12 nominations, the game won nine awards, setting a new benchmark at the show. Its victories stretched across major categories, from Game of the Year to Best Score and Music, confirming broad appeal rather than niche admiration.
The crowd response told the story better than any stat.
Every time the title was called, the audience erupted louder than before, almost like a concert encore that kept repeating. By the final awards, cheers felt inevitable rather than surprising.
For Sandfall Interactive, a relatively small studio, the sweep marked a rare moment where ambition, execution, and timing aligned just right.
Why Developers Are Talking About It
Beyond trophies, “Clair Obscur” sparked conversations among game creators watching from the crowd.
Dineth Meegoda, a technical artist at Respawn Entertainment, described the game as refreshing in how it borrows ideas without copying them outright. Influences from titles like “Persona” are visible, but they’re reshaped through Sandfall’s own creative lens.
What stood out most was confidence.
The game leans into its aesthetic choices, cultural references, and pacing without apology. That self-belief resonated with developers who often feel boxed in by formulas that publishers trust.
Meegoda described it simply as inspiring, especially for teams trying to build something personal inside an industry that can feel risk-averse.
That word, inspiring, kept coming up in hallway chatter.
Music, Atmosphere, and a Live Moment That Landed
One of the night’s most emotional moments came when “Clair Obscur” won Best Score and Music.
Instead of a quick acceptance speech and a cut to commercial, the show paused for a live orchestral performance of the game’s soundtrack. Strings swelled, lights dimmed, and for a few minutes, the awards show felt like a symphony hall.
Gaming producer Su Dural was visibly thrilled.
She had decorated her nails in tribute to the game and described the performance as almost surreal. Hearing the music live, she said, felt like a reward in itself, even before the trophy was announced.
That performance mattered.
It reminded viewers that games aren’t just mechanics and graphics. Sound, mood, and emotion play just as big a role, and “Clair Obscur” nailed that balance.
One sentence sums it up.
The music stuck with people long after the applause faded.
Other Winners Find Space in a Dominant Night
Despite the sweep, other publishers still found moments to shine.
Nintendo was the only company besides Kepler Interactive, the publisher behind “Clair Obscur,” to collect multiple awards. The company earned wins for “Mario Kart World” and “Donkey Kong Bananza,” continuing its long tradition of crowd-friendly success.
These wins felt familiar, almost comforting.
Nintendo’s titles didn’t steal headlines, but they reinforced the idea that polished, accessible games still have a firm place in an industry chasing spectacle.
Here’s a quick snapshot of notable multi-award publishers from the night:
| Publisher | Games Recognized | Awards Won |
|---|---|---|
| Kepler Interactive | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 | 9 |
| Nintendo | Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza | 2 |
That table tells a clear story.
One giant, one steady presence, and everyone else watching closely.
Announcements Keep Fans Buzzing Between Trophies
Awards were only half the show.
The ceremony also delivered a wave of new game announcements that kept social media buzzing well into the night. New entries in long-running franchises like “Control,” “Mega Man,” and “Tomb Raider” drew loud reactions, both in the venue and online.
For some attendees, these reveals mattered more than who won what.
Alex C, an aspiring voice actor in the audience, lit up when talking about Capcom’s presence. Seeing a new “Mega Man” project, alongside fresh “Monster Hunter” content, made his night.
That kind of excitement felt genuine, not staged.
It showed how announcements can tap into nostalgia while still offering something new, a tricky balance many studios chase.
Games, Movies, and a Crossover Moment on Stage
The show didn’t limit itself to games.
One unexpected highlight came from the upcoming “Street Fighter” film adaptation, which debuted a trailer during the broadcast. The cast, including Cody Rhodes, Noah Centineo, and Jason Momoa, later appeared on stage to present the award for Best Ongoing Game.
That trophy went to “No Man’s Sky,” a title that has quietly rebuilt its reputation over years of steady updates.
The moment worked because it felt relaxed.
Celebrities didn’t overshadow the developers, and the focus stayed on the work rather than the hype. That balance can be hard to strike at big events, but this time it landed well.
Another reveal came late in the show.
A new entry in the “Divinity” franchise, simply titled “Divinity,” was announced, drawing curiosity rather than instant cheers. Details were light, but the name alone carried weight for fans of deep, story-driven RPGs.
Sometimes, less detail creates more discussion.
A Night That May Shift Industry Conversations
By the end of the ceremony, one theme was clear.
Big-budget dominance wasn’t the whole story this year. “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” showed that a focused vision, strong art direction, and emotional resonance can still break through on gaming’s biggest stage.
For players, the sweep validated their enthusiasm.
For developers, it offered proof that risks can pay off. And for the industry at large, it raised questions about what kind of games deserve the spotlight in the years ahead.
Nobody left the venue confused about who won the night.
What remains to be seen is whether this moment leads to more studios backing bold, personal projects, or whether it stands as a rare exception. Either way, The Game Awards of 2025 will be remembered for one title that refused to blend in.
