Sandfall Interactive really chose to storm gaming awards this year too, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 going on to repeat its Game Awards 2025 success at the Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA) 2026, held on Thursday.
#TheGameAwards At the top of the ladder is Sandfall Interactive's #clairobscurexpedition33, which won #gameoftheyear and eight other awards, trampling the rest of the competition on the way. #gaming #gamingnews #TheGameAwards2025 https://t.co/bck9BHg3gl
— THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) December 12, 2025
The famed turn-based RPG was already one of the most nominated games at the premier event of the GDC Festival of Gaming 2026, followed by Ghost of Yōtei, Blue Prince, Donkey Kong Bananza, Split Fiction, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Hades II.
This year, while Emmy Award-winning game designer Don Daglow was felicitated with the Lifetime Achievement Award, Rebecca Ann Heineman, a veteran game developer and one of the first video game players, was posthumously honoured with the 2026 Ambassador Award.
Here is the full list of winners from every category:
Best Design
BALL X PIT
Blue Prince - WINNER
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Donkey Kong Bananza
Split Fiction
Best Narrative
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - WINNER
Despelote
Dispatch
Ghost of Yōtei
Split Fiction
Best Technology
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach - WINNER
Donkey Kong Bananza
Ghost of Yōtei
Split Fiction
Game of the Year
Blue Prince
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - WINNER
Donkey Kong Bananza
Ghost of Yōtei
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Split Fiction
Best Audio
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - WINNER
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Ghost of Yōtei
Rift of the NecroDancer
South of Midnight
Best Visual Art
Absolum
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - WINNER
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Ghost of Yōtei
Hades II
Keeper
Innovation Award
BALL X PIT
Baby Steps
Blue Prince - WINNER
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Donkey Kong Bananza
Social Impact
And Roger
Consume Me - WINNER
Despelote
Dispatch
Best Debut
BALL X PIT
Blue Prince
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - WINNER
Dispatch
