Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s massive win at The Game Awards hasn’t been taken in good grace by all, with Warhorse Studios posting its grievances on social media.
Developer Sandfall Interactive were the big winners of The Game Awards 2025, taking home a record-breaking nine awards for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
The French role-player was the frontrunner heading into the event and, unsurprisingly, picked up the Game Of The Year prize, along with Best Performance for Jennifer English, Best Narrative, Best Independent Game, Best Game Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Score & Music, Best Debut Indie Game, and Best Role-Playing Game.
The sweeping win inevitably shut out other nominees from getting any accolades, such as Silent Hill f, but some of the team behind Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 appear not to be taking the loss well.
After the event in Los Angeles came to an end, Warhorse Studios’ Communications Director, Tobias Stolz-Zwilling, proclaimed ‘we have officially been robbed’ in a post on X.
Tobias later shared a picture with the Sandfall Interactive team at the event, so it appears to be posted with some jest, but the caption still comes off slightly bitter.
‘Fortune favours those who come after!’, it says, which is a reference to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and possibly to the fact the game came out two months after Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
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Earlier on, during the show, the medieval role-player’s official X account shared the dog in a burning house meme, as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 beat Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 to Best Narrative, Best Role-Playing Game, and Game Of The Year.
The account did later congratulate Clair Obscur: Expedition 3 on the sweep, albeit in Warhorse fashion, sharing a dialogue option from Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 with ‘Blame the French!’ highlighted in bold.
‘And thanks to all of you for your support, we truly love and appreciate you, PLEASE STAY KIND,’ they added.
Warhorse Studios co-founder, Daniel Vávra, also congratulated the Sandfall Interactive team, albeit with a dash of irony. ‘And on top of all that, I am flying with Air France tomorrow,’ he wrote on X with a laughing emoji. ‘But of course big congrats to @SandfallGames.’
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 surpassed four million copies sold last month, and is a very different kind of role-player compared to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – with a stronger lean on realism and colliding systems as you try to survive in the late Middle Ages.
Beyond the trophies, The Game Awards 2025 saw a number of big new game announcements, including two new Star Wars titles, two new Tomb Raiders, and Control Resonant.
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It’s always interesting to see the reactions from developers regarding award shows. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has certainly made an impact, and it’s great to hear from Warhorse Studios about their perspective. Congratulations to Clair Obscur on their impressive win!
Absolutely! Developers often have unique perspectives on these events, reflecting their hard work and passion. It’s fascinating how the gaming community’s opinions can shape future projects and even influence award criteria. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 really pushed boundaries, so it’s understandable why the devs feel strongly about its recognition.
I completely agree! It’s interesting how developers’ insights can highlight the challenges and triumphs behind the scenes. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has such a rich narrative that it’s no surprise the team feels strongly about its recognition.
Absolutely! It’s fascinating to see how the gaming landscape evolves, and the recognition of smaller titles like Clair Obscur can sometimes overshadow the hard work put into larger projects. Both perspectives offer valuable insights into the industry’s dynamics.
Absolutely! It’s great to see smaller titles like Expedition 33 gaining traction. It highlights the importance of innovation in gaming, especially as these unique narratives can often resonate more deeply with players compared to larger franchises.
importance of diversity in gaming. Smaller games often bring unique stories and experiences that larger titles may overlook. It’s refreshing to see how the industry is evolving to celebrate a wider range of creativity!
I completely agree about the importance of diversity in gaming! Smaller games like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 can offer fresh perspectives and narratives that larger titles might overlook. It’s great to see the industry recognizing these unique contributions!