Expedition 33 Director Reveals the Key to Game Development Success

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Expedition 33 Director Reveals the Key to Game Development Success

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is easily the biggest surprise hit of this year, and it deserves every bit of success. Not only did Expedition 33 sell two million copies in just 12 days, but the game is also the highest-rated game of the year so far in terms of Metacritic score.

But how did a debut title from a small and relatively unknown studio manage to outshine everything else? According to game director Guillaume Broche, the answer is refreshingly simple: make the game you want to play. If the game wins Game of the Year, we will eagerly await a speed similar to the one Swen Vincke made.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 succeeded because the developers had this mindset

In a recent interview with

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, Broche shared the creative decisions and motivations behind Sandfall Interactive’s breakout RPG. He acknowledges the role of luck in the game’s success, saying, “I consider myself really, really, really lucky in how all the stars aligned.” But still, Broche believes that genuine passion and honesty are what’s most important.

I think that’s the most important thing when you start the game, and I see it sometimes with new devs, and I don’t agree with that, is that you don’t have to make a game that you think people will like.

That creative honesty was a big part of how the team at Sandfall Interactive operated. Rather than following a typical corporate structure, the studio allowed and encouraged spontaneous creativity. Broche recalled how the team regularly brainstormed “stupid ideas” during lunch breaks, with no fear of sounding absurd.

“It sounds silly,” Broche admitted, “but if it’s fun, we put it in.” He believes honesty in creative decisions is what truly sets a game apart. “If it talks deeply to a player, it will never fail,” he stated. This is the kind of idea that led to the addition of the character Fracois, a literal rock whose only attack is called the World’s Strongest Ice Attack.

Twelve days in, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has crossed two million copies sold.

We’ve watched in awe as so many of you began your journey. Feeling every step, every emotion, every revelation alongside you.

To those just joining us: welcome.

Tomorrow comes.

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— Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (@expedition33)

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This freedom to experiment and the openness to ideas from all team members helped define the quirky, heartfelt tone of Expedition 33. “We leave enough creativity for everyone to just put their own soul in the game,” he explained. “But also… We know where we want to go.”

The rest of the industry needs to catch up

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Sandfall Interactive didn’t stop at the development aspect of the game to make smart decisions. Expedition 33 launched with a modest $50 price tag, well below the industry’s increasingly standard $70 or even $80 range. Despite competing with the surprise launch of Oblivion Remastered, the game did immensely well, and that speaks to the genius of it.

Expedition 33’s success also shows the power of word-of-mouth in the gaming community. Sandfall isn’t a known developer, and we had no idea whether Expedition 33 would be any good. But players made it their job to make sure the world knows. And it pushed Expedition 33 into the spotlight, setting it up as a Game of the Year contender.

With Grand Theft Auto 6 now booted out of 2025, The Game Awards got a lot more interesting. Expedition 33 might just be the game to claim the crown. But beyond awards and sales, the development of Expedition 33 and these words from the developer are a timeless lesson for developers. Don’t chase trends, chase what inspires you.

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