Discover the fascinating story behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the highest-rated game of 2025 that sold over 1 million copies in just three days. Dive into the journey of its creation and the formation of Sandfall Interactive, driven by the director's quest to combat boredom.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Was Made Out of Boredom
Doing Something Different
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands out as an instant classic, acclaimed as the top-rated game of 2025. Its origin story, however, is rooted in the director's boredom and a yearning for innovation. In an interview with BBC News on May 4, Guillaume Broche, the director from Sandfall Interactive, shared that the game was born during the peak of the 2020 pandemic while he was working at Ubisoft. Feeling restless, Broche drew inspiration from his childhood love for the Final Fantasy series and embarked on creating something new. His journey began with reaching out on platforms like Reddit.
A Stroke of Luck
Broche's vision for Expedition 33, a game set in the Belle Époque era with classic turn-based gameplay, initially received a lukewarm response. Undeterred, he persisted in seeking collaborators through online forums. Jennifer Svedberg-Yen, who was under lockdown in Australia, stumbled upon a Reddit post by Broche seeking voice actors. Intrigued, she auditioned and was initially cast for a major character role, which eventually led her to become the lead writer for the game.
Broche left Ubisoft to focus entirely on Expedition 33, founding Sandfall Interactive. With funding from Kepler Interactive, the team expanded to about 30 members, many of whom were found through unconventional channels. Composer Lorien Testard, for example, was discovered through Soundcloud. The backing of Kepler Interactive also allowed them to collaborate with renowned actors such as Charlie Cox, Ben Starr, Jennifer English, and Andy Serkis.
Throughout the development process, Broche and Svedberg-Yen took on multiple roles. Svedberg-Yen, besides writing, handled translations into various languages. Broche praised the team, saying, "We have, I think, an amazing team mostly of junior people but they are so incredibly invested in the project and talented."
The creation of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a testament to the power of passion and serendipity. This game, born out of boredom, has captivated audiences worldwide and is set to be a timeless classic. Available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 continues to enchant players. Stay updated with the latest news on the game by clicking the link below!
