Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer knows people may not like the follow-up to its 2025 GOTY
Overview & Key Takeaways
The Final Fantasy inspired indie RPG from developer Sandfall Interactive was a surprise smash hit
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the debut game from developer Sandfall Interactive, was a smash hit in 2025 and earned numerous game of the year awards. The studio's next project, whatever it may be, might not be as popular. Director Guillaume Broche knows Clair Obscur is a tough act to follow, and he's okay if no one likes what the studio does next.
In a lengthy episode of Video Game Club on the Konbini YouTube channel, Broche discusses Sandfall's next game and says, "Maybe people won't like it. That's life." It is a surprisingly laid-back attitude toward following up one of the most beloved games in recent memory. For Broche, it isn't any different from the ethos he and the rest of the team at Sandall Interactive had while making Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. "We didn't make the first game to please anyone," he confesses, "and I think that's why it worked." Rather than pleasing an imaginary audience, Broche reveals that development on Clair Obscur was focused on satisfying the developers. They made a game that excited them. It was just an added bonus that plenty of players enjoyed the game as well.
Guillaume Broche accepts the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2025.
Image: The Game Awards
The process obviously worked, and Broche sees no reason to mess with it, despite mounting expectations brought on by the success of Clair Obscur. He admits that there is definitely pressure to make things bigger or to expand the studio because of the attention Sandfall Interactive now has for its next project. Ultimately, Broche says that this would only result in the studio making games that he doesn't actually want to play.
As for Sandfall's next project, Broche declined to share details but did reveal the team will make some drastic decisions. A big question is whether or not the studio's next game will be a sequel to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. In the interview, Broche reiterates the idea he's shared before that "Clair Obscur" is the name of the franchise and Expedition 33 is just one story the team wanted to tell. This could mean Sandfall will take an anthology approach like in Final Fantasy, with each entry introducing a new world and cast of characters. Returning to the world of Expedition 33 in a true sequel would also require Sandfall to choose a canon ending for the game, something the studio has deliberately avoided. In any case, whatever follows Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be worth watching.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows PC.
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