The 41st Golden Joystick Awards, powered by Intel, celebrated the best in gaming with a dazzling ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, streamed globally across various platforms. This year’s event saw nearly 5 million votes cast by the public across 20 categories, reflecting the exceptional array of high-quality games released.
Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3 emerged as the night’s big winner, securing seven awards including the coveted Ultimate Game of the Year. The game also garnered accolades for Best Storytelling, Best Game Community, and Studio of the Year. Adding to the game’s achievements, Neil Newbon won Best Supporting Performer for his role as Astarion.
Other notable winners included Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, which clinched Best Game Expansion and Best Game Trailer; Geometric Interactive’s Cocoon winning the Breakthrough Award; and Alan Wake 2 taking home the Critics’ Choice Award. The Best Indie Game award went to Sea of Stars, while Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was named the Most Wanted Game.
The event also recognized outstanding performances, with Ben Starr winning Best Lead Performer for his role in Final Fantasy XVI, and Neil Newbon securing Best Supporting Performer for his work in Baldur’s Gate 3.
Hosted by renowned actor and voice artist Troy Baker, the ceremony featured a host of special guests from the gaming industry, including actors Manon Gage, Maggie Robertson, Ben Starr, Yuri Lowenthal, Stephanie Joosten, Samantha Béart, and Neil Newbon. Other notable attendees included musicians Elvira Björkman and Nicklas Hjertberg from Two Feathers, and Gosia Mitręga, Executive Producer of the new Witcher saga at CD PROJEKT RED.
Significant awards of the night included:
- Ultimate Game of the Year – Baldur’s Gate 3
- Best Storytelling – Baldur’s Gate 3
- Studio of the Year – Larian Studios
- Best Game Expansion – Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
- Critics’ Choice Award – Alan Wake 2
- Best Indie Game – Sea of Stars
- Most Wanted Game – Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- PlayStation Game of the Year – Resident Evil 4
- Xbox Game of the Year – Starfield
- Nintendo Game of the Year – The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The 41st Golden Joystick Awards not only celebrated the achievements in the gaming world but also featured a special musical performance of “You Are My Sunshine”, a collaboration between Bloober Team and Polish artist Natalia Szroeder.
The event represented over 115 games, studios, hardware, and actors, with public voting determining the winners in most categories. The Critics’ Choice and Breakthrough Award were critically chosen, while content creators awarded the Streamers’ Choice.