Recently "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33" which is a turn-based role-playing video game created by "Sandfall Interactive", didn’t just win Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2025, it shattered records and became one of the most awarded video games in history. The acclaim it earned helped Expedition 33 climb to second place all-time for total Game of the Year wins, only behind Elden Ring — a monumental achievement for an indie-rooted project.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has already gained extraordinary awards that dominated major gaming ceremonies throughout 2025. At the 2025 edition of 'The Game Awards' (which is one of the industry's most prestigious ceremonies) where Expedition 33 won 9 awards out of 10 nominations, this is the most ever winning by a single game in one night. These awards include:-
1) Game of the Year.
2) Best Game Direction.
3) Best Narrative.
4) Best Art Direction.
5) Best Score & Music.
6) Best RPG.
7) Best Independent Game.
8) Best Debut Indie Game.
9) Best Performance – Jennifer English.
At the Golden Joystick Awards, the game won multiple honors including its 2025 Ultimate Game of the Year award and several other top categories, contributing heavily to its overall GOTY count. Beyond these, Expedition 33 topped year-end lists and community polls from publications like IGN, Rolling Stone, Time, GameSpot, Game Informer, and others. However, the Indie Game Awards retracted two of its wins (Game of the Year and Debut Game) due to generative AI policy issues, though this does not affect its standing at other major award shows.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based role-playing video game (commonly known as RPG) with fast-paced real-time mechanics, set in a dark fantasy world inspired by "Belle Époque France". The structure blends classic 'JRPG' roots (like strategy and character growth) with innovative battle flow and combo systems that react to player timing and their decisions. The reason for why this game is so trending is that players followed the ill-fated in Expedition 33, which means a diverse crew facing off against the Paintress — a mysterious entity who erases people's existences once they exceed a deadly age limit. Its rich atmosphere and emotional depth won widespread praise.
The combat includes real-time reactions, dodges, and precise targeting choices that make each encounter feel dynamic. Also, high-quality visuals powered by Unreal Engine 5 and a celebrated original soundtrack contributed to highly rated experiences on every platform. It quickly amassed over 5 million copies sold, supported by passionate communities on Steam, Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation, and social platforms.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was first officially revealed in 2024 and was released on April 24, 2025 on all major platforms such as PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S (Day One on Xbox Game Pass), Epic Games Store and Steam. This game was developed by 'Sandfall Interactive' and then published by 'Kepler Interactive'. Even though specific budget figures remain undisclosed, early community insights and indie development profiles suggest that the project began with modest funding and grew over time with the publisher support.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands out in 2025 gaming as fans favoured it because this game provided the experience to the audience which was exactly needed. Its record-breaking award performance, combined with critical acclaim and strong player engagement, makes it one of the defining games of its generation. Anyway, what do you guys think of this game? What was your experience while playing it? Let us know all your answers in the comments where you can also provide latest news so I can make a breakdown of it.