Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, an upcoming turn-based RPG, is not a standalone title. It is in reality the first chapter of a new franchise, according to Sandfall Interactive’s creative director, Guillaume Broche. He stated in an interview recently that the game is due to release in April 2025. It starts off a much larger story, with even more tales to come after that. This revelation comes as the title is heavily buzzing with anticipation since its battle design is ambitious. It introduces real-time parrying and dodging mechanics into a genre usually credited for its static, turn-based encounters. This approach has already set it apart, garnering much anticipation and marking it as one of the most promising releases of next year.
Broche’s comments to YouTuber MrMattyPlays suggest active writing process for the next installment. “Clair Obscur is a franchise name,” he stated, adding that Expedition 33 is just one story within that larger universe. He did not speak of a timeline or what the sequel would be about but confirmed that “this is not the end of Clair Obscur.” The creative director added that he is “ignoring Expedition 33” while working on the sequel. He wants to have a different, real vision for the new one, not overly influenced by the first game. He admitted this is really hard because he’s looking for a “new place of joy and sincerity” to do the next story.
The interview looked at the franchise’s future as well as the development philosophy at Sandfall Interactive. Broche said the studio won’t scale its team. He believes it possible to be “small and agile” and still able to produce games that can vie with AAA studios. He shared his thoughts on game lengths, arguing that around 30-hour experiences are much more attractive for today than sprawling 200-hour RPGs. This philosophy influenced the price of the game. Broche confirmed the $50 price tag came because of the game’s surprisingly low development costs, which were on the “lower end of AA games.”
Given how the studio invests in a slim team, there is a good chance that the potential sequel shall also be in a similar production model and pricing strategy. After all, according to reports, Expedition 33 sold as many as 3.3 million copies within its first 33 days, supporting this approach. It shows that you don’t need a big budget to reach a global audience but rather a focused and innovative experience. A sequel is guaranteed to make Clair Obscur a long-term project for the studio and a watch franchise in the years to come.
