French President Emmanuel Macron Congratulates Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for Historic Awards

Acclaimed Game of the Year: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 by Sandfall Interactive - A French Pride

According to Eurogamer, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, developed by French company Sandfall Interactive, was a standout title in 2025. The game, featuring Lias as the main character and Matthew McConaughey as the voice, earned several awards at The Game Awards 2025, including Game of the Year. Praised for its unique combat system and engaging storyline, which has been called "a love letter to gaming," Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was released on December 12, 2025. Jennifer English won the Best Performance award at this year's Golden Joysticks for her work on Clair Obscur. A DLC is expected in early 2026, and a sequel is under consideration. Despite its success, achieved on a relatively modest budget, French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated Sandfall Interactive for this historic first for a French title, calling it a great source of pride for France, and for Montpellier in particular. The game won a record-breaking nine awards at The Game Awards, including Game of the Year, which Macron highlighted in an Instagram post.

Celebrated Game Clair Obscur's Triumphant Awards Amid Macron's Evolving View on Video Games

Some commentators, however, pointed out the irony of Macron's praise, given his previous statements about video games during the 2023 disturbances. At that time, Macron suggested that video games had "poisoned the minds of young people," though he later clarified that he was referring to the use of video game codes by criminals to trivialize violence on social media, stating, "It is that violence I condemn, not video games." He added, "Video games are a culture, an entertainment, a spectacle...They are a fertile ground for artistic experimentation, a fascinating learning space that blends all the arts...Playing means listening to music, immersing oneself in stories, feeling emotions, traveling through time." Prior to its launch in May, Macron had also praised Clair Obscur as "a bright example of French boldness and imagination," and some suspect he is leveraging the game's success to enhance his own image. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 received 12 nominations across 10 categories at The Game Awards 2025, setting a record for the most nominations in a single year, and swept multiple awards. Following its success, Sandfall Interactive announced new content for the game.

Hades 2 and Hollow Knight: Silksong Dominate The Game Awards 2025 with Top Honors

Hades 2 won Best Action Game at The Game Awards 2025, while Hollow Knight: Silksong took home Best Action and Adventure Game trophies.

In Case You Missed It

On December 13th, 2025, Ahmed Hassan thrilled players worldwide with his revelation on Players For Life that Capcom has officially confirmed Leon S. Kennedy's return in Resident Evil 9: Requiem! Directed by Koshi Nakanishi, this installment promises intense action and survival horror as Leon teams up with newcomer Grace Ashcroft to investigate deadly outbreaks in revamped Raccoon City Resident Evil 9 Requiem: Capcom Confirms Leon S. Kennedy as Playable Character. But that's not all, the very next day Sophie Laurent dropped a bombshell with her post "PlayStation Unveils New Multiplayer Game", revealing '4:LOOP', an upcoming cooperative third-person shooter from Bad Robot Games PlayStation Unveils New Multiplayer Game. Meanwhile, Carlos Mendoza took a break from gaming critique to unveil the cinematic trailer for 'Divinity', promising an immersive visual experience that sets the stage for an epic narrative Divinity Revealed in Violent New Trailer. With these thrilling developments, it's certainly an exciting time to be a gamer!