Expedition 33 Dev Desires to Comply with in Half-Life 2 and Ocarina of Time’s Footsteps

One Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dev not too long ago talked about how the studio desires to observe within the footsteps of profitable titles like Half-Life 2 and Zelda: Ocarina of Time by maintaining its groups small. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been the discuss of the city because it got here out, taking the gaming group unexpectedly, and it appears its developer desires to remain true to the identical method that led them to success when growing future titles.

Days move, and Sandfall Interactive’s turn-based JRPG turns into increasingly more in style, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 not too long ago reaching the spectacular gross sales milestone of three.3 million copies in 33 days. Though 2025 was already shaping as much as be a memorable 12 months for video video games—with upcoming titles like Loss of life Stranding 2, Metallic Gear Stable Delta: Snake Eater, and even the discharge of the Nintendo Change 2—Clair Obscur broke into the business unexpectedly, changing into what many take into account the perfect sport of 2025 to date. Now, one of many sport’s builders has shared the studio’s imaginative and prescient for the long run.

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The soundtrack for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is certainly one of its most memorable features, however certainly one of its greatest songs virtually by no means appeared within the sport.

Following Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s spectacular success, it might be pure to assume that developer Sandfall is planning to develop the corporate and broaden; nevertheless, the studio’s COO and producer, Francois Meurisse, not too long ago revealed throughout an interview with GamesIndustry.biz that Sandfall’s imaginative and prescient is to proceed working the identical manner, with “lower than 50 folks on board.” The studio desires to stay true to what made the sport profitable within the first place, with Meurisse saying the crew goals to observe within the footsteps of Ocarina of Time and Half-Life 2, working with small groups as a result of “that sort of dimension permits for good selections and nice creativity.”

Clair Obscur Studio Goals to Keep Small with Future Groups Below 50

Meurisse defined that Sandfall will give attention to one mission at a time, with the “smartness of a small group of passionate folks.” The recipe for achievement the studio adopted to create the sport was fairly distinctive, because the Clair Obscur crew was assembled in very random methods in response to its director—such because the lead author, who was discovered by way of a Reddit audition for voice actors.

Whereas it’s true that iconic titles like Half-Life 2 and Ocarina of Time have been developed by smaller groups than as we speak’s typical AAA initiatives require, they didn’t have as few as 50 staff—although that’s Sandfall’s aim. Along with sticking with small groups, the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 director had beforehand shared recommendation for builders, revealing that one other secret behind the sport’s success lies in authenticity, teamwork, and creating video games one would genuinely get pleasure from enjoying.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Launched

April 24, 2025

ESRB

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

Developer(s)

Sandfall Interactive

Writer(s)

Kepler Interactive

Engine

Unreal Engine 5