Key Takeaways
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- Clair Obscur Expedition 33 won 9 out of 11 nominations at the Game Awards 2025, setting a record and establishing itself as a major winner with over five million copies sold.
- Wuthering Waves, a free-to-play gacha game developed in China, won the Players Choice Award at the same event, demonstrating the power of its large global player base and strategic differences from Clair Obscur.
- The regional popularity of Wuthering Waves, particularly in Asia, played a significant role in its success in global polls like the Game Awards, reflecting a global audience rather than just Western or North American media perception.
- There were concerns about a controversial link to Israel potentially tarnishing Clair Obscurs reputation and implications that The Game Awards may be more of a popularity contest, suggesting the need to reconsider the voting system for future events.
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Clair Obscur Expedition 33’s Triumph at Game Awards 2025 Sets Records and Triggers Cultural Wave
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 won 9 of its 11 nominations at the Game Awards 2025, establishing itself as a major winner and setting a record. The French title distinguished itself through its artistic identity and narrative, appealing to both critics and the general public, with over five million copies sold, thus ensuring commercial success. The game has also generated cultural enthusiasm for the new license, including a dedicated concert tour for the original soundtrack—organized rapidly with tickets selling almost immediately—and a presence on Billboard charts.
Clair Obscur’s Critical Acclaim Outshone by Wuthering Waves’ Player Base at Game Awards 2025
Notably, Clair Obscur Expedition 33 did not win the Player’s Choice Award at the Game Awards 2025. This distinction went to Wuthering Waves, a free-to-play gacha game developed in China, initially released in 2024 on PC and smartphones and then on PlayStation 5 in 2025. Its launch was initially turbulent, with a Metacritic score of 69, in stark contrast to the critical acclaim of Clair Obscur. However, through continuous updates, Wuthering Waves improved its reception. Wuthering Waves benefits from a large player base, with over 6 million downloads on the App Store and more than 10 million on Google Play, in addition to its strong presence on Chinese platforms. This extensive user community significantly influences voting outcomes. Western audiences often underestimate this success.
Wuthering Waves Overshadows Clair Obscur at Game Awards Due to Global Player Base and Strategy Differences
While Wuthering Waves may seem relatively obscure to Western audiences, it has achieved significant success in Asia since its 2024 release. It quickly became one of the most-followed gacha games in China, South Korea, and Japan, supported by aggressive marketing, regular collaborations, and a strong presence on local streaming platforms. This regional popularity largely explains the game’s ability to garner high volumes of votes in global polls like the Game Awards, reflecting a global audience rather than just Western or North American media perception. Consequently, Clair Obscur Expedition 33, a narrative-driven, single-player premium game sold at a fixed price, faces a structural disadvantage against a free-to-play gacha game capable of mobilizing millions of daily players, and lacking in-game incentives and community mechanics designed for mass engagement.
Controversial Link to Israel Tarnishes Clair Obscur’s Game Awards Prominence, Despite Critical Acclaim and Commercial Success
Thus, the loss for Clair Obscur reflects systemic differences more than a lack of merit, as public voting reflects a game’s ability to engage its community—sometimes through rewards or events—rather than simply measuring affection for the work. Despite this context, some observers attribute the game’s prominence at The Game Awards to a trend of linking Clair Obscur Expedition 33 content with Expedition 33 Israel on TikTok. Some individuals are attempting to tarnish the game’s reputation by linking it to Israel, a tactic used to create social controversy. These detractors also suggest that The Game Awards may be more of a popularity contest, implying the need to reconsider the voting system. It’s also been noted that Clair Obscur Expedition 33’s record could be overshadowed by GTA 6 at future Game Awards. Despite not winning the Player’s Choice Award, Clair Obscur Expedition 33 leaves the Game Awards 2025 with exceptional critical recognition, a distinct cultural footprint, and solid commercial success, suggesting that these long-term indicators likely outweigh a popular vote influenced by free-to-play game mechanics.
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