Clair Obscur is an example of a black swan that surprised everyone with how successful it turned out to be. It took the entire gaming market and the hearts of the players by storm. So, how did that happen?
What Is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based role-playing game set in an art-focused fantasy world full of wonders and surrealism. The game offers fantastic visuals, music, and story, and was developed with high attention to detail.
However, the most notable thing about the game is its reactive turn-based combat system, where players can break the traditional turn-based combat flow by using real-time actions, such as dodge and parry. Using such moves requires proper timing but it makes enemy encounters more dynamic and engaging.
Overview of Sales Performance
According to the news reports in regards to the game’s sales figures, Expedition 33 managed to sell a surprisingly high number of 3.3 million copies in just 33 days, already making it one of the best-selling games of 2025. However, it won’t be unreasonable to expect the numbers to go much higher than that in the coming months. We’re super excited to see how high it can get.
Factors Driving Success
First and foremost, Expedition 33 is genuinely a phenomenal game. It has a top-tier score, a captivating story that will quickly get you hooked, eye-pleasing art direction, and stunning views, and goes for an uncommon approach to the turn-based genre by adding reaction-based elements, most notably dodges and parries, that require specific timing. High-quality production combined with the game’s novelty that provided players with new and unique experiences were seemingly a recipe for a bestseller.
Of course, being amazing or having experimental features is not enough to turn a game into a commercial success, as we have already seen time and again in the past, with notable examples being Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodline, Planescape: Torment, and Grim Fandango.
Another important factor to consider is how the game respects your time. It’s a pretty big game but at no point it feels artificially extended just to make you play more for no apparent reason. It’s condensed, packed with action, and there’s something meaningful happening at all times.
The game also managed to generate more hype and viral marketing around it, thanks to being available on Xbox Game Pass since day one. Subscribers can play it for free without any limitations. This hype may translate to more sales; some people like to buy Game Pass games to support the developers.
The size of the development team may also play a role in the game’s success. It counts just around 30 people from Sandfall Interactive, with around 30 more being involved in the project. It gave the studio some serious advantage over the biggest players in the gaming industry. Fewer people means less bureaucratic chaos within the company and more room for taking risks.
https://twitter.com/expedition33/status/1927364988219383892
Big studios are often being held hostage by the investors and shareholders, which incentivizes taking the easy route to profits by the company. Sandfall didn’t have that problem and thus they were able to use their limited resources much more effectively, focusing on unleashing creativity.
It also helps that Sandfall was found by ex-Ubisoft developers – so not just some random freshmen but people with a lot of experience in the field; people who know how the industry works and what players want.
There’s also one factor that influences the final outcome but remains completely outside of our control: luck. If heavens throw a die and decide that the game is destined to flop, it will flop and there’s not much we can do about it. This time, planets have aligned and the heavens smiled upon developers, rewarding them tenfold for all the effort they’ve put into making Expedition 33 happen.
Comparison to Other Titles
3.3 million copies sold in 33 days is absolutely massive but if you’re not following the game industry, that number won’t tell you much.
To put it into perspective, games such as award-winning Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Black Myth: Wukong, all considered not only huge commercial successes but also some of the best-selling games of all time, sold 30 million copies each. But that counts all copies sold since the release. For Elden Ring, that would be 30 million copies sold in 3 years.
When you look at copies sold during the first month, though, that would be 13.4 million for Elden Ring and 13.7 for Cyberpunk. God of War sold 5 million copies in its first month.
As you can see, Expedition 33 goes toe-to-toe with AAA behemoths, despite being created by a newly-formed studio with no history.
Fan and Critic Reception
The game met with critical acclaim and was universally loved by both players and critics alike, which is not a common occurrence in the gaming industry. On Metacritic, it holds scores of 93/100 from the critics and 9.7/10 from the players. On the Steam platform, the game has overwhelmingly positive reviews, with 96% of reviewers praising the title.
Those who disliked the game usually mention that the mixture of turn-based and real-time combat is not something they particularly enjoy, calling it a glorified quick-time event system. Others pointed out specific technical issues, such as some rare instances of crashes.
Summary
The success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has many potential sources. From being a genuinely phenomenal game that respects your time, to being developed by experienced ex-Ubisoft developers in a small studio that has more creative freedom, to being available on Game Pass since release. Luck also played its part, but no amount of luck would save a mediocre game. Expedition 33 deserves all the praise it gets.
Sources:
- https://www.ign.com/articles/clair-obscur-expedition-33-sells-33-million-in-33-days-not-bad-for-a-game-some-thought-was-going-to-get-crushed-by-the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion-remastered
- https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/no-clair-obscur-expedition-33-wasnt-made-by-30-people
- https://www.gamespot.com/articles/expedition-33-dev-has-a-theory-on-why-the-game-is-selling-so-well/1100-6531819/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_video_games