Clair Obscur: Expedition 33has been the breakout hit of the year.Ourreviewsaid the game is an early frontrunner for Game of the Year.
Developed by new studio Sandfall Interactive, the development team has seen as much praise as the game itself.
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 Devs Are Giving Fans What They Want If They Already Own The Game
Expect to pay more if you’re in the US due to the tariffs.
Much has been made about the game’s smaller dev team, with people pointing out that the team, coincidentally, has roughly 30 people, though others have pointed out that it wasactually larger.
An interviewwith Sandfall and publisher Kepler Interactive confirms that the core team was around 30 people. “I think that the creative engine of the game was that group of 30,” says Kepler Interactive portfolio director Matthew Handrahan. “In terms of what the game is – the vision of it and the way in which it’s executed – [that] does come from that nucleus of staff that is at Sandfall.” Handrahan also confirmed that the core team received support from outside developers.
Sandfall Producer François Meurisse Wants To Keep The Dev Team Small And Focused
When discussing the smaller size of their team, Producer François Meurisse explains the benefits of refusing the temptation to scale up after success.
For now, our vision would be to stick to a close team working in the same city with less than 50 people on board, focusing on one project after another, and keeping this agility, and this creative strength, and smartness of a small group of passionate people wanting to do something big.
Meurisse also mentions that older, universally beloved games likeHalf-Life 2andOcarina of Timewere made with this philosophy. Their development teams were smaller and focused, allowing creativity to shine. The opposite can work out, as withRockstar’s games like Red Dead Redemption and, presumably,Grand Theft Auto 6, but that’s the exception, not the norm.
“I think that there’s been a lot of irresponsible practices in the industry,” Meurisse adds. “Some games can make it work…but there are plenty of games made with very large teams and for huge amounts of money that don’t land.”
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Vs. Persona 5 Royal: Which Game Is Best?
Two massive and influential turn-based RPGs, but only one clear winner.
It’s a philosophy that blends into the game itself. Expedition 33 did a great job respecting our time, understanding that not every title needs over 100 hours of gameplay. Sandfall and Kepler suggested that the main story would take 30+ hours, with another 30+ hours available from side content, but I’ve seen people hit over 100+ hours of playtime. None of that was necessary, though; they’re doing it because they’re having fun, and that’s the key to Expedition 33’s success. Here’s to hoping that Sandfall can build on that momentum while ignoring the pitfalls of modern video game design.
