Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is officially the best game of the year at The Game Awards 2025. Not only is this a huge win for RPGs and small studios in general, but it also means something pretty fun: former professional first-person shooter Michael “Shroud” Grzezier will finally play it himself, after previously going against it in favor of Arc Raiders.
Back in November, before the nominees for The Game Awards 2025 were announced, Shroud said “we have to make sure Arc Raiders win the game of the year.” adding, “Don't let this Expedition game become game of the year. Don't let it happen. Absolutely do not allow it.” As it happens, Arc Raiders were not nominated in this category at all, and Shroud didn't seem particularly pleased with the nominations, calling the year “another rigged year.”
As The Game Awards 2025 marching band began last night, just before the big Game of the Year announcement, it became clear that Shroud had had a bit of a change of heart after declaring that the world shouldn't let Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 win, instead directing his ire at another nominee. “As long as it's not Donkey Kong… please don't. […] Please don't let this year be another rigged year,” he pleads, praying for the failure of the excellent Donkey Kong Bananza on Switch 2. He then adds that a win for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 or Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 would be “good”, saying he's “surprised” the latter didn't win everything it was nominated for.
“You know what really sucks about D4, like one downside is I was going to play Clair Obscur literally after he won,” he begins. “But I'd rather play Paladin in D4.”
So this happens…at some point. Who knows, maybe he'll become a bigger fan? After all, there is a reason it has won so many awards.
