French JRPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has received a record-breaking number of nominations at The Game Awards 2025, and developer Sandfall Interactive couldn’t be more surprised. According to host and producer Geoff Keighley, while other notable titles like two-player co-op adventure Split Fiction received four nominations, platformer Hollow Knight: Silksong got five, Hades 2 earned six, and sequels Death Stranding 2 and Ghost of Yotei tied with seven each, Expedition 33 leads the pack with 12 nominations, making it the most-nominated game in the show’s history.
The debut title from Sandfall is up for Game of the Year as well as other major categories, including Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, Best Independent Game, and Best Debut Indie Game. While some consider the game closer to a AA production due to hundreds of outsourced developers and a sizable budget, Sandfall is thrilled with the recognition. On Twitter, the team wrote, “What a privilege to be nominated, not only for 2025 GAME OF THE YEAR, but also TWELVE??!! TOTAL NOMINATIONS. There are so many deserving, precious games from this year, and to be nominated among them makes us SO SO very whee.”
Although winning Game of the Year isn’t their primary goal, the studio says it would be a “nice little bonus” while cheering for other contenders like Megabonk. For Sandfall, the recognition alone is a huge honor for their debut effort.
