With 39.9% of the votes, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 takes the top prize for GAMIVO Game of the Year

The RPG developed by the Sandfall Interactive studio, Clair Obscur: The title achieved a significant victory by securing 39.9% of preference in a popular vote that mobilized the gaming community between the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, consolidating its position as one of the most impactful releases of the period.

The award, known for directly reflecting the opinion of players, placed the game in a prominent position compared to twelve other strong competitors. The substantial margin of victory demonstrates the strong connection that the fantasy adventure and its innovative combat system have established with audiences since its release.

The result reinforces a successful year for Sandfall Interactive, which had already collected praise from specialized critics and awards at other important industry events. Consumers’ choice on the GAMIVO platform serves as a final seal of approval, validating the commercial appeal and quality of the work.

Complete competition results

The dispute for the top prize revealed a clear preference for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, who led the vote with a considerable advantage over second place. The distance to the other competitors highlights the unique impact of the game in the 2025 scenario.

In second place, with 18.2% of the votes, was Kingdom Come:

The podium was completed by Ghost of Yotei, who won 7.9% of the votes. Outros Notable titles on the list included Hollow Knight: Silksong, with 6%, and Death Stranding 2: On the

The final list of nominees demonstrated the diversity and high quality of releases throughout the year, ranging from major action and adventure productions to independent titles long awaited by the community.

The big winner’s innovative proposal

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stood out for its unique narrative premise and art direction, inspired by the French Belle Époque. The story unfolds in a world where an enigmatic entity called Paintress, each year, paints a number on its monolith, causing all people of that age to instantly disappear. The plot follows Expedição 33, a group of heroes on a desperate mission to destroy Paintress before it paints the number 33, condemning them to death. Essa approach to mortality and legacy, combined with visuals that transition between vivid paintings and detailed settings, created an immersive and emotionally resonant experience. The hybrid combat system, which fuses turn-based strategy with real-time action mechanics like parrying blows and delivering precise counterattacks, has been widely praised for modernizing the classic RPG formula and keeping players constantly engaged, especially in monumental boss battles.

Commercial and critical success

Released on April 24, 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, in addition to being available from day one on Xbox Game Pass, Clair Obscur: The title surpassed the mark of five million copies sold in the first few months, a feat driven by an effective marketing campaign and, mainly, by an extremely positive reception from specialized critics worldwide.

Renowned publications in the sector, such as IGN and RPG Site, gave the game almost perfect scores, highlighting its impeccable artistic direction, the depth of its narrative and the orchestral soundtrack, often cited as one of the best of the year. Recognition at events like The Game Awards already signaled his potential, but victory in the GAMIVO vote solidified his status as a public favorite.

The Heroes of Expedition 33

The game’s narrative strength is supported by its cast of captivating characters. The group is led by Maelle and Gustave, and complemented by figures such as Verso, Lune and Sciel. Cada member of the expedition has distinct combat skills and a personal story that deepens throughout the campaign.

The interactions and bonds that form between them are a central pillar of the experience, adding layers of emotion to the perilous journey. The script explores each person’s motivations and fears in the face of imminent mortality, making the fight against Paintress not only a mission to save the world, but also a personal journey of overcoming and legacy.

The GAMIVO platform and its annual awards

GAMIVO, a digital game sales platform, established its annual awards as an important barometer of the gamer community’s opinion. The main characteristic of the award is its democratic process, in which the final decision rests exclusively with the players, unlike other awards that depend on a jury of critics.

The initial selection of twelve nominees is based on a combination of sales data on the platform itself and general feedback from the community throughout the year. Essa methodology ensures that only the most relevant and popular titles enter the competition.

In previous editions, games like Elden Ring and Astro Bot were the big winners, which demonstrates the award’s ability to recognize titles that defined their respective years. The victory of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 places it in a select group of games acclaimed by the public.

Legacy for the RPG genre

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s win at the GAMIVO awards not only caps off a successful year for The game proved that it is possible to innovate established combat mechanics and, at the same time, deliver a deep and visually stunning story. Seu’s success reinforces players’ preference for experiences that challenge conventions and provoke reflection, consolidating it as an obligatory reference work and a strong influence for future developments in the genre.