Clair Obscur Expedition 33 overtakes Elden Ring to set new Game of the Year win record

Clair Obscur Expedition 33 has reportedly overtaken Elden Ring to set a new Game of the Year win record. Earlier this month, Expedition 33 surpassed The Last of Us Part 2 for the second-most Game of the Year wins, and it has now achieved the unthinkable by overtaking FromSoftware’s magnum opus, Elden Ring.

For games released in 2025, ResetEra member Angie reports that Clair Obscur Expedition 33 has recorded 436 Game of the Year wins as of January 20, 2026. As of this writing, Expedition 33’s total is just one win ahead of Elden Ring’s 435 GOTY awards.

Angie’s tally aggregates GOTY awards from media events, award shows, and outlets that have been active for over a year. For media outlets, eligibility is limited to those that consistently produce gaming-related media or articles. Outlets associated with “toxic behavior,” AI-generated content, or operated by a single staff member are excluded.

Angie also clarifies that “only overall GOTY awards are eligible,” meaning the tally does not include awards for individual genres, platforms, or technical achievements. This means categories such as Best RPG, Best PS5 Game, and Best Direction are excluded from the tally, with only awards explicitly labeled Game of the Year counting toward the total.

Below are the current top 10 games with the highest number of Game of the Year wins:

• Clair Obscur Expedition 33 – 436
• Elden Ring – 435
• The Last of Us Part 2 – 326
• Baldur’s Gate 3 – 288
• The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt – 281
• The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild – 264
• God of War (2018) – 263
• The Last of Us – 257
• The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim – 229
• Astro Bot – 196

Both Clair Obscur Expedition 33 and Elden Ring are Game of the Year masterpieces

Despite Clair Obscur Expedition 33 surpassing Elden Ring’s Game of the Year record, both titles are exceptional masterpieces deserving of recognition as two of the best games ever released.

Expedition 33 stands out as a remarkable work of art thanks to its captivating characters, emotionally gripping story, and beautiful soundtrack, whereas Elden Ring is another landmark achievement by FromSoftware, refining the Soulslike formula with famously challenging gameplay and an expansive open-world full of interesting lore.

Beyond the headline-grabbing numbers, Clair Obscur Expedition 33’s new milestone shows just how quickly the RPG has established itself among the most celebrated games of all time. While Elden Ring was highly anticipated thanks to FromSoftware’s portfolio of amazing titles like Dark Souls and Bloodborne, Expedition 33 feels like a true breakout success, as it’s Sandfall Interactive’s first-ever release.

Although Expedition 33 has already set a new Game of the Year win record, there are still more accolades on the horizon. The game is nominated for Game of the Year at the 2026 DICE Awards and is also part of the BAFTA Games Awards 2026 GOTY longlist.

Clair Obscur has also recently earned a near-clean sweep of nominations at the 2026 Game Developers Choice Awards, underscoring how highly regarded Sandfall Interactive’s RPG is among fellow developers.

Such universal acclaim for Expedition 33 has attracted insincere criticism from some, labelling the game overrated. However, the game’s success has also placed significant pressure on Sandfall Interactive as the studio begins work on its next project. Sandfall has acknowledged the pressure while promising fans that the developers intend to continue making the games they want to play, rather than attempting to please everyone.

Sandfall Interactive’s next game is in very early development and likely won’t be seen for many years. However, it’s expected to remain within the Clair Obscur universe, as the studio has confirmed that Expedition 33 represents just one story, not the end of the franchise.