Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Tops Famitsu’s Most Popular Games of 2025
Industry votes from Japan clearly show that quality and originality now outweigh project scale, as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has claimed the No.1 spot in Famitsu’s list of the most popular games of 2025. The title surpassed major releases such as Ghost of Yōtei and Urban Myth Dissolution Center, based on votes from 191 developers and industry figures.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Dominates Famitsu’s Super Popular Game Awards 2025
Famitsu, the renowned Japanese gaming magazine published by KADOKAWA Game Linkage Corporation, has officially revealed the results of its Super Popular Game Awards 2025. The rankings were published in Famitsu’s combined January 8/15, 2026 issue, which went on sale on December 25, 2025.
The awards are determined by votes from 191 individuals, including game developers, voice actors, and well-known figures within the Japanese gaming industry. Each participant selected their top five favorite games of the year, with scores calculated to determine the final rankings.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 secured first place, followed by Ghost of Yōtei from Sony Interactive Entertainment in second place, and Urban Myth Dissolution Center from Shueisha Games in third. Fourth and fifth place went to Donkey Kong Country: Bananza and Mario Kart World on Nintendo Switch 2, respectively.
A Major Achievement for a Small Team
This victory marks a significant milestone for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which has already received multiple international accolades prior to this recognition. What makes the achievement particularly notable is that the game was developed by a core team of around 30 people and is not a full-scale AAA project.
Despite its smaller production size, the game earned widespread praise for its creativity and unique gameplay experience, reinforcing the idea that strong vision and execution can rival — and even surpass — massive budgets. Similarly, Urban Myth Dissolution Center, which ranked third, was also developed by a relatively small team and gained strong momentum in Japan throughout 2025.
About Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a real-time turn-based RPG published by Kepler Interactive and developed by Sandfall Interactive, a French studio. The game was released on April 24, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with the physical Japanese edition distributed by Sega.
The story follows a group of travelers tasked with hunting down The Paintress, a mysterious antagonist who inscribes a specific age each year — causing everyone of that age to vanish. In the current year, the number is 33, forcing the expedition to confront her before another tragedy unfolds.
Gameplay blends traditional command-based RPG combat with real-time movement, allowing players to dodge attacks, counter enemies, and chain combos seamlessly during battles, creating a dynamic and distinctive combat experience.
Source: Famitsu
