Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Dev Shares Future Plans After Surpassing AA Success

Following the unexpected success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, developer Sandfall Interactive has provided insight into its future plans. While the game's rapid rise in popularity has sparked discussions about the studio potentially stepping into AAA territory, Sandfall remains firm on maintaining its current approach.

Released in April 2025, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 quickly became one of the year’s standout hits. As Sandfall Interactive’s debut project, expectations were moderate, but the game’s blend of compelling narrative and turn-based RPG mechanics resonated with players and critics alike. Within just 33 days of release, the game reached an impressive milestone of 3.3 million copies sold, establishing Sandfall as a studio to watch.

Sandfall Interactive is Staying Small — For Now

Despite its newfound success, Sandfall Interactive isn’t rushing to expand. In a recent interview with Automaton, Tom Guillermin, the studio’s chief technical officer and lead programmer, expressed contentment with their current team size. “I think it’s better to keep the team small for now,” Guillermin noted. “If we decide to develop another full-priced turn-based RPG, the team we have is already ideal.”

Guillaume Broche, Sandfall Interactive’s studio head and creative director, echoed similar sentiments. He emphasized that mid-sized AA games like Clair Obscur will become increasingly common due to the soaring development costs associated with AAA titles. Broche highlighted how Unreal Engine 5 has democratized game development, enabling smaller teams to produce high-quality games without needing expansive resources. Citing The Alters as another prime example, Broche believes this trend will continue, allowing more indie studios to thrive in the AA space.

No Clair Obscur DLC Planned, But More Updates on the Way

While many fans were hoping for post-launch DLC announcements, Sandfall Interactive currently has no plans to develop additional content for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Instead, the studio is focusing on refining and enhancing the base game to ensure a polished experience for all players. Continuous updates and quality-of-life improvements are expected as part of Sandfall’s ongoing support.

Given the remarkable success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, there’s considerable anticipation regarding what Sandfall Interactive will work on next. However, the studio seems committed to its current strategy, favoring a tight-knit development team that prioritizes efficiency and creative freedom over rapid expansion.

For fans, this approach means future Sandfall titles will likely retain the same high level of polish and artistic vision that made Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 a breakout success in 2025.