The Banandium Gem-packed Donkey Kong Bananza was the winner of the Critics’ Choice Award at the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards.
It was the only Nintendo-published game to receive recognition at the annual award ceremony, at which Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominated the largely public-voted categories.
Sandfall Interactive won Studio of the Year for its efforts to deliver the acclaimed turn-based RPG won Ultimate Game of the Year, Best Storytelling, Best Visual Design and Best Soundtrack, with actors Jennifer English and Ben Starr winning Best Lead Performer and Best Supporting Performer for their roles as Maelle and Verso.
List of 2025 Golden Joystick Awards Winners
- Best Storytelling – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (public vote)
- Best Audio Design – Ghost of Yōtei (public vote)
- Best Multiplayer Game – PEAK (public vote)
- Best Visual Design – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (public vote)
- Best Game Expansion – Lies of P: Overture (public vote)
- Best Indie Game Self Published – Hollow Knight: Silksong (public vote)
- Best Indie Game – Blue Prince (public vote)
- Studio of the Year – Sandfall Interactive (public vote)
- Best Early Access Game – R.E.P.O (public vote)
- Best Soundtrack – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (public vote)
- Best Game Trailer – Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 2 (public vote)
- Still Playing – Mobile – Pokémon GO (public vote)
- Still Playing – Consoles & PC – Minecraft (public vote)
- Streamers’ Choice – PEAK (critically chosen)
- Best Remake / Remaster – The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered (public vote)
- Breakthrough Award – Schedule I (critically chosen)
- Best Gaming Hardware – AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (public vote)
- Best Game Adaptation – Arcane Season 2 (public vote)
- Best Supporting Performer – Ben Starr (public vote)
- Best Lead Performer – Jennifer English (public vote)
- Hall of Fame – The Sims (critically chosen)
- PC Game of the Year – Hollow Knight: Silksong (public vote)
- Console Game of the Year – Ghost of Yōtei (public vote)
- Critics’ Choice Award – Donkey Kong Bananza (critically chosen)
- Most Wanted Game – Grand Theft Auto VI (public vote)
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (public vote)
