If you haven’t heard of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 yet, you’ve been missing out on one of the most remarkable stories in gaming history.
Released on 24 April 2025 by French indie studio Sandfall Interactive, this stunning turn-based RPG took the gaming world completely by storm, sweeping awards shows and selling millions of copies worldwide.
Set in a breathtaking world inspired by Belle Epoque France, the game blends classic turn-based combat with real-time mechanics to deliver an experience that critics and players alike have called a modern masterpiece.
There’s probably a lot that you don’t about this game, but today my aim is to change that…
Here are 13 Facts You Might Not Know about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
1. It was made by a tiny team
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was developed by a core team of roughly 30 developers operating out of Montpellier, France, on a budget of less than $10 million.
2. The studio was brand new
Sandfall Interactive was founded in 2020 by Guillaume Broche, a former Ubisoft narrative lead who wanted to escape the corporate grind. This game was their very first release.
3. The setting almost looked completely different
The initial concept featured a steampunk setting inspired by Victorian England, complete with zombies and aliens. After investors encouraged Broche to think bigger, he scrapped the idea entirely and pivoted to the Belle Epoque period, which the French team felt was a more distinctive setting.
4. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launched day one on Xbox Game Pass
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was available day one on Xbox Game Pass, yet still went on to sell millions of copies at full price across other platforms.
5. The game sold half a million copies in a single day
A strong launch saw it shift half a million copies in just one day, making it clear that first-time developer Sandfall had a major hit on their hands.
6. It has now sold 8 million units
As of April 2026, Expedition 33 has sold over 8 million units globally, an extraordinary achievement for a debut indie title.
7. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominated The Game Awards 2025
The game swept The Game Awards 2025, winning 9 of its 13 nominations, including Game of the Year. That’s the most wins for any single title in the event’s history.
8. The voice cast is stacked
The cast includes Charlie Cox, Andy Serkis, Ben Starr, and Jennifer English, among others. Cox has jokingly said he was in the studio for barely four hours and felt like a fraud over being praised for his performance, though writer Jennifer Svedberg-Yen clarified it actually took around eight hours and praised his professionalism.
9. The soundtrack has over 154 songs
French composer Lorien Testard spent five years working on the game’s soundtrack, writing 154 songs spanning more than eight hours of music.
10. The main menu theme was written in an invented language
Testard wrote certain songs in an invented language created specially for the game. One such song is “Alicia”, the main menu theme. He wanted to give it universal appeal and did not want to attach it to any real-world language, with the lyrics meant to convey emotion rather than be translated word-for-word.
11. The soundtrack became a chart-topping phenomenon
The game’s award-winning original soundtrack has been streamed over 617 million times since release, securing six number one spots in the UK Official Album Charts and multiple top five spots on the US Billboard Album Charts.
12. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 outsold major JRPG franchises on Steam in its first week
In the first 7 days after launch, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 outsold other JRPGs on Steam, including those from major established franchises.
13. It holds a near-perfect score on Metacritic
On Metacritic, the game holds a score of 93/100 from critics and 9.7/10 from players. On Steam, it carries an overwhelmingly positive rating with 96% of reviewers praising the title.
Well, there you have it, 13 interesting facts you might not have known about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. If I’ve left out something important, feel free to comment below.
Check out first-look gameplay trailer for the game below:
Watch this space for updates in the Gaming Facts category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
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