【TGA 2025】 The Miracle of France... 'Clair Obscur' Sweeps 9 Awards, Breaking 'The Last of Us 2' Record

"An open world was not necessary. A perfect story and the passion of 30 people were enough." The debut work created by a small studio in France has rewritten gaming history. 'Clair Obscur' has made 2025 its year with overwhelming success.

On the 12th (local time on the 11th), at the 'The Game Awards 2025' held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Sandfall Interactive's 'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33' swept a total of 9 categories, including Game of the Year (GOTY).

◆ Surpassing 'The Last of Us 2'

The star of the day was undoubtedly 'Clair Obscur'. This game set a record for the most nominations ever with 13 categories, breaking the previous record for the most awards won by a single game (7) held by 'The Last of Us Part 2', and built a golden tower of 9 awards.

It swept all major categories including Best Game Direction, Narrative, Art, Music, RPG, Indie, Debut Indie, and Performance (Jennifer English).

◆ A Miracle of 10 Million Dollars... "Presenting an Alternative to AAA Games"

The reason the industry was shocked is different. According to the New York Times, the development cost of this game is less than 10 million dollars (about 14 billion won), and the development team consists of only 25-30 people. It took a completely opposite path from the recent trend of pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into AAA games.

Sandfall Interactive abandoned excessive open-world expansion and focused on a linear and dense story-driven experience. This 'selection and concentration' strategy captivated both critics and the public, leading to commercial success with 5 million copies sold after release and critical acclaim.

◆ 'Silksong' Finally Shines

Meanwhile, 'Hollow Knight: Silksong', which had kept fans waiting for years due to delays, proved its worth by winning the Best Action Adventure award. The Best Action Game award went to 'Hades 2', and the Multiplayer award was won by 'ARC Raiders', developed by Nexon’s Embark Studio.

The 'Player's Voice' award, determined by 100% fan voting, was won by 'Wuthering Waves', demonstrating the strong fandom power of subculture games.

This award ceremony hosted by Geoff Keighley was broadcast live worldwide through Amazon Prime Video and YouTube, beautifully concluding a year in the gaming industry with a celebratory performance by Evanescence.

🏆 The Game Awards 2025: Complete List of Winners

Main Categories (General Awards)

• Game of the Year

  • Winner: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

• Best Game Direction

  • Winner: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

• Best Narrative

  • Winner: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

• Best Art Direction

  • Winner: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

• Best Score and Music

  • Winner: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

• Best Audio Design

  • Winner: Battlefield 6

• Best Performance

  • Winner: Jennifer English - as Mael, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

• Best Community Support

  • Winner: Baldur's Gate 3

Genre Categories (Genre Awards)

• Best Action Game

  • Winner: Hades 2

• Best Action/Adventure Game

  • Winner: Hollow Knight: Silksong

• Best RPG

  • Winner: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

• Best Sim/Strategy Game

  • Winner: Final Fantasy Tactics

• Best Sports/Racing Game

  • Winner: Mario Kart World

• Best Multiplayer Game

  • Winner: ARC Raiders

Indie & Other Categories (Indie & Others)

• Best Indie Game

  • Winner: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

• Best Debut Indie Game

  • Winner: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

• Player's Voice - 100% Fan Vote

  • Winner: Wuthering Waves