| Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | DLC & Pre-Order | Review |
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 News
2025
May 19
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 deliberately left out a mini-map to encourage deeper immersion and appreciation of its environments, according to Sandfall Interactive CEO and creative director Guillaume Broche. Speaking in a recent interview, Broche explained that mini-maps often distract players from the world itself, leading them to navigate via icons instead of engaging with level design. Despite the risk of missing content, many fans have embraced the decision, saying it enhances the game’s atmosphere and helps it stand apart from more modern, waypoint-driven titles.
May 15
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 director Guillaume Broche has hinted that a Switch 2 version of the game "could be interesting," though there are no concrete plans yet. Speaking to French YouTube channel mistermv, Broche acknowledged that the game’s success has opened up many new opportunities for the studio, but they are still deciding which to pursue.
Meanwhile, following an outcry from fans demanding an Esquie plushie, Sandfall Interactive has confirmed that it is exploring the possibility of creating officially licensed plushies of the beloved Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 character. Fans were warned to be cautious of unofficial Esquie plushie listings appearing online, as none are currently licensed. Sandfall Interactive assured fans that it is working to bring official Esquie plushies to market soon, responding to overwhelming demand for the adorable and powerful character.
May 13
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 wasn’t always the French-inspired RPG it is today, originally titled "We Lost", the game was supposed to be set in a steampunk Victorian England with zombies, aliens, and more. This early concept was revealed through a resurfaced five-year-old Reddit post by director Guillaume Broche seeking voice actors, and lead writer Jennifer Svedberg-Yen explained that a call with potential investors pushed the team to reimagine the game’s setting, ultimately drawing inspiration from a painting and a short story by Svedberg-Yen.
⚫︎ As of May 13, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has struggled with physical sales in Japan, moving only 9,825 copies by May 4, despite its strong JRPG influence and massive success in the West, where it sold two million copies within 12 days. Reports suggest the low Japanese sales could be due to limited physical availability, as digital sales were not included in the figures.
May 9
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the gift that keeps on giving as players discover more things each day that passes, just like how a player discovered a way to hit up to 2 billion damage with the Expeditioner, Maelle. fter finishing the main story, the game opens up its endgame, which fans must play as it contains more story elements and challenging bosses they have never encountered before.This may be daunting, as most bosses have gigantic bars of HP, while some even have one-hit damage. Thus, players have discovered a way to fight back— with a nuke build.
Sandfall Interactive noticed Stendhal was making the game too easy for the players. The studio said there would be upcoming changes to Maelle’s skill. According to them, they weren’t supposed to make any balance changes this early in the game, just some bug fixes.
May 6
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is no doubt an instant classic, with how it became the highest rated game of 2025 and selling over 1 million copies in 3 days. Surprisingly, the game-of-the-year favorite was born out of boredom and the desire to do something different.
Director Guillaume Broche revealed that the project started as something to cure his boredom. During the height of the pandemic in 2020, he was working with Ubisoft but felt restless and had an idea for a game.Since childhood, Broche liked the popular JRPG video game series Final Fantasy and wanted to create something similar. Thus, his quest to fulfill his dream began, starting off with Reddit.
May 4
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 likely wouldn’t have been greenlit at a major studio, according to Sandfall Interactive founder Guillaume Broche, who explained that large companies typically resist original IPs due to layers of approvals and risk aversion. Broche believes the game would’ve taken 25 years to make under a big company, whereas Sandfall's indie approach allowed them to create the game their way, within 5 years.
May 2
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s launch alongside The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered didn’t negatively impact its success, in fact, according to publisher Kepler Interactive, it may have helped spotlight the RPG genre overall. The game quickly sold over a million copies within two days and gained praise from figures including French President Emmanuel Macron. Despite being released near a major remaster, Kepler remained confident thanks to the game’s strong momentum, Game Pass availability, and accessible price point.
May 1
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 rolled out its first update since its release. Sandfall Interactive announced that Hotfix 1.2.2 is now live, focusing on several bug fixes and localization improvements. Furthermore, the developers are working on a series of fixes and improvements and will share more soon. Subsequently, Sandfall Games' Creative Director recommended another RPG released the same day as Expedition 33.
April 30
⚫︎ The developers behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy are publicly encouraging players to try each other’s games, highlighting a rare moment of mutual support in an oversaturated market. Kazutaka Kodaka, creator of Danganronpa and co-director of The Hundred Line, praised Expedition 33 as a tribute to classic JRPGs, while Sandfall Interactive’s Guillaume Broche returned the favor by recommending The Hundred Line as a lovingly made turn-based RPG. Their friendly exchange on social media not only celebrates each other’s creative efforts but also invites fans to embrace the variety of unique RPGs currently available.
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has received its first post-launch update, addressing a range of bug fixes following its global debut. According to the game's lead writer, a DLC is being considered due to the strong community response.
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has a good chance of having a DLC, according to its lead writer. With all that excitement in the air, Expedition 33 Lead Writer Jennifer Svedberg-Yen responded to fans on Instagram and answered various questions about the game.Svedberg-Yen did not confirm any DLC plans, but gave fans a positive response that could point to the game receiving an expansion sometime down the road.
April 28
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launched with a resounding success, hitting major milestones and receiving praise from everyone in the industry within the first week of its release. Developer Sandfall Interactive took to Twitter its latest achievement: selling over 1 million copies three days after its release. They noted that this number does not include the Game Pass players, so the metrics could very well be higher than this. The game has also made a huge impression on the general public with its 9.7 user score on Metacritic, making it the highest player-rated score in 2025.
April 25
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has launched to critical acclaim, quickly earning praise from both players and developers. Baldur’s Gate 3 Publishing Director Michael Douse expressed his support for the RPG on Twitter, highlighting its impressive 92 Metacritic score and designation as a "Must-Play" game. In addition to its critical success, Expedition 33 is already the third top-selling game on Steam within just 24 hours of release, maintaining its momentum despite competing with Oblivion Remastered. The game is being lauded for its exceptional gameplay and storytelling.
April 3
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will offer PC players a wide range of graphical presets from Low to Epic, while console users can choose between Performance and Quality modes. The game is confirmed to be PS5 Pro Enhanced, though exact specs are still unknown. Xbox players can now pre-load the game ahead of its global launch on April 24 at 12 AM PT / 3 AM ET. The title will include 56 achievements and trophies with challenges like defeating bosses without damage and collecting all 33 music records.
March 24
⚫︎ Sandfall Interactive has confirmed that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will not include a minimap, opting instead for a compass to aid navigation. Producer Francois Meurisse explained that the decision was made to encourage exploration rather than reliance on UI elements. But beyond gameplay, this choice ties directly into the game's narrative, players are part of an expedition venturing into the unknown, following in the footsteps of past explorers who failed. "They don’t have a map because every previous expedition failed," Meurisse stated, reinforcing the idea that players should feel as lost and uncertain as their in-game counterparts.
March 21
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's director, Guillaume Broche, was "starving for new turn-based RPGs" and figured if he wanted them, others would too, leading him to start development as a passion project in 2019. Drawing inspiration from Final Fantasy, Lost Odyssey, and FromSoftware titles like Sekiro, Broche aimed to merge strategic combat with skill-based mechanics.
March 19
⚫︎ In a recent interview, producer Francois Meurisse highlighted Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's unique blend of turn-based strategy and challenging, off-rhythm enemy attacks. While deeply rooted in JRPG traditions, the game distinguishes itself with a Belle Epoque-inspired art style, reflecting the French developer Sandfall Interactive’s goal of creating a visually and mechanically distinct experience. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 draws inspiration from classic Final Fantasy titles while incorporating real-time defensive mechanics influenced by Sekiro and action point-based skills inspired by deckbuilders.
March 3
⚫︎ Gaming News Media were able to be given playable demos of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's ahead of its release, and many were impressed by how the game's turn-based combat is unlike its predecessors, being an evolution and combination of all the great titles before it.
January 30
⚫︎ Even before its release, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is getting a movie adaptation. Developer Sandfall Interactive has partnered with Story Kitchen, the studio behind game-to-film projects like Sonic and the upcoming Dredge movie. While no director or cast has been announced, producers Dmitri M. Johnson, Mike Goldberg, and Elena Sandoval are attached to the project. Story Kitchen expressed excitement about translating the game's rich narrative and complex characters into a cinematic experience.
2024
August 29
⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 draws heavy inspiration from classic turn-based RPGs, with creative director Guillaume Broche citing Final Fantasy VIII-X, Persona, and Octopath Traveler as key influences. Broche, a longtime fan of the genre, wanted to create a turn-based RPG with high-fidelity graphics, blending real-time reaction-based combat with strategic depth. Players can switch party members in the open world and use traversal abilities to solve puzzles. Broche was overwhelmed by the game's positive reception, expressing his desire for players to "break the game" with creative builds. The development team hopes Expedition 33 will leave a lasting impact, much like the RPGs that shaped their own experiences.
July 30
⚫︎ Creative director Guillaume Broche shared that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 takes inspiration from real-world art and literature, with its title referencing the Clair Obscur artistic movement of 17th-18th century France and its story influenced by the novel La Horde du Contrevent. Broche emphasized the game’s focus on high-fidelity visuals and its innovative reactive turn-based battle system. Drawing influence from Souls games, Devil May Cry, and NieR, the game aims to modernize turn-based RPG combat.
