Clair Obscur creative director says he expected the game to be cool, but not this huge
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s creative director, Guillaume Broche, told Radio Times Gaming after the Golden Joysticks that the team always thought the game would be “cool” but never planned for it to become the cultural phenomenon it is now.
Broche said, “I think people don’t really realize that, now it’s become big, but before the launch, it was not supposed to be big. I think we all felt the same thing. It’s going to be cool. It’s not going to be big, it’s going to be cool. And what’s happening today is like, as we say, nobody really understands what’s happening.”
The title has already sold more than five million copies and swept the Golden Joysticks, matching a record set by Baldur’s Gate 3. Ben Starr, who voiced Verso and other characters, echoed Broche’s surprise, calling the situation “silly” and reiterating that “it was never intended to be as big as it is.”
Starr added, “It’s turned into this kind of cultural moment, a phenomenon, but that’s just because the game is very honest, I think. And a lot of people have bought into that.” After collecting awards he joked that everyone on the team had been messaging each other in disbelief.
Industry attention shows no sign of stopping: Console PC Gaming’s coverage of the title noted that it leads the nominations for The Game Awards 2025, where it has become the most-nominated game in the show’s history, the ceremony runs on December 11. Read our report on the nominations for more detail: Clair Obscur – Game Awards 2025 nominations.
The quick climb from modest expectations to multi-million sales and awards attention highlights how unpredictable breakout hits can be for small studios. Sandfall Interactive and publisher Kepler Interactive have seen the game’s profile rise not just in sales but in mainstream coverage, and Broche’s account underscores that the team expected critical interest but not the scale of commercial success they’re seeing now.
For anyone who wants to hear the comments in full, the Radio Times Gaming interview is available online.
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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Developed by Sandfall Interactive
Lead the members of Expedition 33 on their quest to destroy the Paintress so that she can never paint death again. Explore a world of wonders inspired by Belle Époque France and battle unique enemies in this turn-based RPG with real-time mechanics.
- Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
- Modes: Single player
- Release: 2025-04-24
- Publisher: Kepler Interactive
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Age Rating:
ACB MA 15+ / PEGI 18 / USK 16 / CERO Z / GRAC 19+ / CLASS_IND 18 / ESRB M
- IGDB Rating: 93.1/100
