Expedition 33’s Star Talent Is Starting to Look Like a Lucky Charm—And Tides of Annihilation Could Be Next

To almost no one’s surprise, Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 swept The Game Awards this year with a massive 9-award win, setting a new record for the most awards won by a single title in the history of the show. While its Game of the Year win was expected, among its 8 other awards was Best Performance, which was ultimately awarded to Jennifer English for her role as Maelle. This is also her first Game Awards win, and she was nominated alongside two of her Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 colleagues no less.

While this might have been English’s first win at The Game Awards, she has risen to prominence in recent years for her roles in both Elden Ring and Baldur’s Gate 3 as well. And now that she won Best Performance for her role in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, it’s likely her career could skyrocket even more, especially as her name becomes increasingly associated with critically acclaimed, award-winning games rather than just standout individual performances. In fact, her upcoming role as Tides of Annihilation‘s protagonist could be next in line.

Jennifer English Has Now Starred in Three Game of the Year Winners

More or less, Jennifer English is beginning to look like something of a lucky charm in the industry, as she has now been involved in three Game of the Year winners over the last several years. While one of these roles wasn’t as prominent as the other two, her voice is apparently one that is hard to ignore, since her more recent performances (listed below) have brought her closer to center stage.

• Elden Ring (2022)
• Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023)
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025)

Jennifer English Played the Role of Latenna in Elden Ring

2022 Game of the Year winner Elden Ring saw her filling the role of Latenna, an NPC tied to a memorable side quest rather than the main narrative. Nevertheless, Latenna’s story has left an impression on players for its emotional side, especially her bond with her wolf companion Lobo and her goal to aid her people. Latenna is also memorable for what her questline unlocks, as it grants players access to the Consecrated Snowfield and Miquella’s Haligtree, two optional areas in Elden Ring that are home to some of its toughest content. Even so, Latenna isn’t what English is primarily known for.

Jennifer English’s Role as Shadowheart in Baldur’s Gate 3 Drew Her Increased Attention

It wasn’t until English played the role of Shadowheart in 2023’s Game of the Year winner, Baldur’s Gate 3, that she began drawing wider industry and fan attention, and it’s generally seen as a significant step-up in visibility for her career. Of course, it helps that Shadowheart is one of Baldur’s Gate 3‘s most popular companion characters, especially as a romance option. That kind of positive association naturally led to English becoming one of the more recognized industry talents in recent memory, to the point that she was even acknowledged as a BAFTA Breakthrough UK talent in 2024, in part because of her work as Baldur’s Gate 3‘s Shadowheart.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Put Jennifer English Front and Center

And then came Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in 2025, which not only went on to win Game of the Year but also brought English to the forefront as the game’s lead protagonist. This marked the actress’ third time playing a role in a Game of the Year winner, and it happened to be her first lead role on top of that. Her performance as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s Maelle quickly became one of the most talked-about parts of the game, frequently cited as a major reason its story is so emotional and memorable. Now, it seems English’s rise to prominence is far from over, as she is set to play yet another lead role in Eclipse Glow Games’ action-adventure game Tides of Annihilation.

Tides of Annihilation Is Jennifer English’s Next Big Game

Tides of Annihilation is an upcoming action-adventure game by Eclipse Glow Games that actually doesn’t look too far off in art style from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Its real-time action combat does help set it apart from the turn-based RPG, but another similarity the two games share is Jennifer English’s role in the cast. Just as she played the primary protagonist of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, English plays the role of Tides of Annihilation‘s lead protagonist, Gwendolyn. The game’s story follows Gwendolyn’s journey as the lone survivor of a catastrophic otherworldly invasion that shattered London, with her goals including rescuing her sister, restoring the world, and confronting the demi-gods of Avalon.

Every Role Jennifer English Has Played

• Leya, Additional Voices – Divinity: Original Sin 2 (2017)
• Willa – Augmented Empire (2017)
• Latenna – Elden Ring (2022 GOTY)
• Bliss – Harmony: The Fall of Reverie (2022)
• Shadowheart – Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023 GOTY)
• Carlotta – Wuthering Waves (2024)
• Maelle – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025 GOTY)

Considering how three of her biggest games have been Game of the Year winners, it feels like Tides of Annihilation now has a lucky charm in its pocket with English at the helm. Whether that streak continues or not is impossible to say, but it does put Tides of Annihilation in a different light than it might have had otherwise. The game now carries a familiar thread that connects it to several of the most awarded releases of the past few years, with English once again stepping into a lead role. At the very least, her recent run makes Tides of Annihilation harder to dismiss, not because it’s necessarily expected to repeat Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s level of acclaim, but because it arrives with a performer in tow whose career trajectory keeps intersecting with games that win awards.

Released

April 24, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence

Developer(s)

Sandfall Interactive

Publisher(s)

Kepler Interactive