Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Dominates GDC Awards 2026, Wins Game of the Year and Four More Honors

By: Anton Kratiuk | yesterday, 18:40

The awards ceremony for the best games of the past year took place as part of the annual Game Developers Choice Awards event.

As expected, the hit Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 once again left competitors far behind. Recall that it is already the most awarded game in the history of the industry and, for example, won the grand prize at TGA 2025 and is presented in 12 nominations at the upcoming BAFTA.

At the GDC, the debut game from the small studio Sandfall Interactive won five awards, including “Game of the Year,” while its closest competitor was the indie puzzle Blue Prince, which received two statuettes.

Full List of Winners

Game of the Year

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,
  • Blue Prince,
  • Donkey Kong Bananza,
  • Ghost of Yōtei,
  • Hollow Knight: Silksong,
  • Split Fiction.

Audience Award

  • and Roger

Best Sound

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,
  • Death Stranding 2: On The Beach,
  • Ghost of Yōtei,
  • Rift of the NecroDancer,
  • South of Midnight.

Best Debut

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,
  • BALL x PIT,
  • Blue Prince,
  • Dispatch.

Best Design

  • Blue Prince,
  • BALL x PIT,
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,
  • Donkey Kong Bananza,
  • Split Fiction.

Innovation Award

  • Blue Prince,
  • Baby Steps,
  • BALL x PIT,
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,
  • Donkey Kong Bananza.

Best Narrative

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,
  • despelote,
  • Dispatch,
  • Ghost of Yōtei,
  • Split Fiction.

Best Technology

  • Death Stranding 2: On The Beach,
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,
  • Donkey Kong Bananza,
  • Ghost of Yōtei,
  • Split Fiction.

Best Art Direction

  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,
  • Absolum,
  • Death Stranding 2: On The Beach,
  • Ghost of Yōtei,
  • Hades II,
  • Keeper.

Social Impact

  • Consume Me,
  • and Roger,
  • despelote,
  • Dispatch.

Source: GDC Festival of Gaming