Introduction: Almost immediately after it entered the video game market, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 became one of the biggest hits of the year. At the same time, the same debut game by Sandfall Interactive studio is extremely atypical and drastically different from most AAA and AA gaming success stories, despite the fact that it provides a product that fits squarely in these categories. Instead of chasing any of the present trends, the developers behind the game spent five years building what is according to most accounts, a true work of art that resonated with countless gamers and critics alike. Now, many are trying to find the success patterns in Expedition 33 and replicate them in other projects. However, this could be an issue that is not only artistic in nature but reaches the very core concept of how game development studios are organized, financed, and run.
Article: The world of video games is not a stranger to unexpected hit releases. In the previous decades, such games regularly appeared and took the gaming community by storm. Some of the titles that come to mind in the recent period include games like Palworld and Helldivers 2. But, in most of those cases, the hook often included some kind of viral gimmick that turned games into wider trends. For Palworld, it was the very odd concept of Pokemon with guns. In the case of Helldivers, it was the multiplayer capacity to generate fun far beyond most initial expectations. Yet, in the case of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a French turn-based narrative RPG, none of those elements are in play, but the game still became a big hit.
Instead of gimmicks, the team at Sandfall Interactive studio built a title that managed to grip players with its quality – from visual design to the game’s storyline and combat mechanics, Expedition 33 does things well. Not only that, it does things so well that many believe that this release is a once-in-a-generation role-playing game. The high praise and the sheer commercial success that Expedition 33 created is a great reminder that video games can be made in a manner that is drastically different from the current group-think approach of big AAA studios. Instead of chasing the latest developments in player behavior and interest, Sandfall showed that artistic expression and passion projects can become huge hits. On the other hand, its success also cuts deep into the way big studios are organized and run. This might become a bigger hurdle for developers than simply being willing and ready to create more meaningful, art-driven projects.
To Kill the Paintress
The very settings for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is where this game shows just how different it is. Its story takes place in a dark fantasy version of Belle Epoque, a period in French history at the end of the 19th century when art and science blossomed. The notion of Paris being the City of Light dates back to the same historical era, but in the case of Expedition 33, the same period is a lot darker and infinitely more ominous. In the world of the game, a god-like entity exists called only the Paintress. She has the ability to draw a number and once she does, all inhabitants of a secluded island aged above that number just vanish forever. To make sure that this never happens, expeditions are organized to reach the Paintress and kill her before another mass vanishing takes place. The players set out as Expedition 33, made out of a range of characters, all with their backstories, motivations, and abilities.
Against the Grain
While the story of Expedition 33 might feel unusual and overly dark for a big gaming hit, so are the gameplay mechanics. At its core, the game is a turn-based RPG title, where the players manage the abilities and action points of each of their party’s members. But, players also have access to quick-time events that boost the gameplay’s dynamics. Often, especially in tough fights against bosses, players need to follow the environmental clues to become victorious. This is another element of the game that feels strange – it is a demanding title and will take time to master. The same fact did not stop many from praising the game’s combat system as much as its additional elements, especially the visuals. From start to finish, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a gorgeous game. It was made in Unreal Engine 5 and it utilizes a lot of its strongest suits, mainly ray tracing, lumen, and nanite systems. All of these blend well with the story and the setting, offering something instantly recognizable, but also deeply layered and strewn with different meanings and symbolism.
Workings of Sandfall
The team at Sandfall Interactive began building their game back in 2020 after the studio was established in France. Many of them were previously employed at Ubisoft but wanted something different than a typical AAA release. One of the first business partners that recognized this was Epic Games, the owners of the Unreal Engine. That is why the Sandfall team got the company’s Epic MegaGrant. In 2022, the developers received 50,000 USD to continue working on Expedition 33, which was a big boost to the game’s progression. But, despite that, they still took the time and effort to make sure the game was ready for the market, which was more than most big studios would have done. Recent cases like Assassin’s Creed Shadows and the even more recent delay of Grand Theft Auto 6 show that companies have problems with both deadlines and project scoping. Sandfalls did all of this flawlessly and delivered a fantastic game free from technical issues on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, where the same title is available.
New Mentality Wanted
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sold more than one million copies in its first few days post-release. Even the French President, Emanuel Macron, publicly congratulated the team. But, the lessons of the game’s development reach far beyond this success story. Many big gaming studios today are not able to risk their funding on bolder projects. Over the past couple of years, financiers have been more risk-averse than ever, which is why so many studios are digging up their old franchises and developing the same old games over and over again. They are fully aware that these have a tiny sliver of chance of becoming a hit, but they are also less likely to flop completely. Furthermore, teams that are building these games are often understaffed and filled with developers who fear layoffs and project shutdowns. In an atmosphere like this, it is impossible to make unique and innovative games, while titles that do get out on the market have the ultimate goal of not utterly failing. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 shows that things can be done differently, but as of now, the possibility of that scenario is not in the cards for most studios.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available on Steam
Author: Ivica Milaric, game designer and assistant professor of game design at the Novi Sada Academy of Arts, Republic of Serbia