Sandfall Interactive’s breathtaking dark fantasy RPG swept the ceremony at GDC, taking home Game of the Year alongside four other major honors. Here is the full list of tonight’s winners.
As the GDC Festival of Gaming begins to wind down here at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, the industry gathered tonight for its most prestigious peer-recognized celebration: the 26th annual Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA).
While the year was packed with incredible releases, tonight belonged entirely to one game. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the stunning debut title from developer Sandfall Interactive and publisher Kepler Interactive, absolutely dominated the ceremony, securing five massive wins, including the coveted Game of the Year.
Here is a full breakdown of the night’s biggest winners, special honors, and the complete list of accolades.
An Expedition to the Top
It is incredibly rare for a studio’s debut title to completely sweep the GDCAs, but Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 managed to capture the hearts and minds of the entire development community.
Billed as a loving ode to—and evolution of—the classic JRPG genre, the game masterfully blends turn-based mechanics with real-time action elements, all wrapped in a distinctly French-inspired narrative and aesthetic. Praised for its dramatic story filled with dread and hope, the game didn’t just win Game of the Year; it also walked away with trophies for Best Debut, Best Visual Art, Best Narrative, and Best Audio.
Puzzles, Strands, and Audience Favorites
While Sandfall Interactive took the lion’s share of the spotlight, they weren’t the only multi-award winners of the night.
Blue Prince, the highly unique puzzle adventure from developer Dogubomb and publisher Raw Fury, had a phenomenal showing. The title’s mind-bending mechanics and architectural mysteries earned it both the Innovation Award and the Best Design Award.
Hideo Kojima also made an appearance on the winner’s list, with Kojima Productions’ highly anticipated Death Stranding 2: On the Beach taking home the award for Best Technology. Meanwhile, Jenny Jiao Hsia’s deeply personal title Consume Me was recognized for its Social Impact, and TearyHand Studio and Roger secured the highly coveted Audience Award.
Honoring Industry Legends: Daglow and Heineman
Beyond the games of the past year, the GDCAs always take time to honor the pioneers who built the foundation of the interactive entertainment industry.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon Emmy® Award-winning game designer Don Daglow. With an expansive career spanning 55 years and over 100 games, Daglow is a towering figure responsible for a staggering list of industry firsts. His credits include the first baseball video game (BASBAL, 1971), the first RTS/simulation game (Utopia, 1981), and the very first MMORPG to use graphics instead of text (Neverwinter Nights, 1991-1997).
The ceremony also took a poignant moment to present the Ambassador Award posthumously to the trailblazing Rebecca Ann Heineman (1963–2025). Heineman was a pioneering force in the industry, celebrated not just as a foundational developer but as one of the very first professional video game players. In 1980, she made history by winning the National Space Invaders Championship. That victory launched a brilliant 45-year career where she contributed to over 250 games, including legendary classics like The Bard’s Tale III, Dragon Wars, Wolfenstein 3D, and Doom (3DO).
The Full List of 26th Annual GDCA Winners
For those who missed the live broadcast, here is the complete list of tonight’s winners:
- Game of the Year: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Best Debut: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Best Design: Blue Prince (Dogubomb / Raw Fury)
- Best Technology: Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Best Visual Art: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Best Narrative: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Best Audio: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Innovation Award: Blue Prince (Dogubomb / Raw Fury)
- Social Impact: Consume Me (Jenny Jiao Hsia)
- Audience Award: and Roger (TearyHand Studio / Kodansha)
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Don Daglow
- Ambassador Award: Rebecca Ann Heineman
If you want to catch up on the speeches and the full ceremony, the VOD is currently archived and available to watch globally on both the official GDC Twitch and YouTube channels. For more information about the awards, you can visit gamechoiceawards.com.
