Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 thrives post-launch with strong sales, positive reception, and a unique RPG identity—even after Oblivion Remastered’s surprise release.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has taken the gaming world by storm, earning praise for its stunning cinematic visuals, captivating music, and strong performances.
Its launch came right on the heels of Bethesda’s surprise drop of Oblivion Remastered, but according to publisher Kepler Interactive, the RPG’s momentum hasn’t taken a hit.
Developed by indie studio Sandfall Interactive, Expedition 33 is a turn-based RPG set in a dark fantasy version of the Belle Époque era. Players follow a group of Expedition 33 volunteers tasked with stopping a mysterious force known as the Paintress.
Just a week after launch, the game received its first big update (Patch 1.2.2), which addressed several bugs, including inventory glitches and soft locks.
When Oblivion Remastered dropped unexpectedly a little over a week ago, it stirred up a lot of buzz—though it wasn’t a total shock thanks to ongoing leaks.
Still, with Expedition 33 releasing just days later, some worried the timing might overshadow the indie release. Thankfully, Kepler Interactive confirmed in a recent chat with The Game Business that the surprise launch didn’t negatively impact their game at all. “I think it just drew attention to quality RPGs that week,” Kepler said, adding that it got people talking about the genre as a whole.
Backing up Kepler’s optimism, Expedition 33 has actually pulled ahead of Oblivion Remastered in some key areas. It’s seen stronger global sales and is currently boasting a higher concurrent player count on Steam.
Kepler’s senior portfolio director, Matt Handrahan, noted that the game’s blend of Western and Japanese RPG styles gives it a unique flavor that attracts a different crowd than something like Elder Scrolls. “I knew plenty of people that would play an Elder Scrolls game that wouldn’t necessarily play Final Fantasy and vice versa,” he said. With a launch day drop on Xbox Game Pass, Expedition 33 had a solid foundation from the get-go.
Looking ahead, it sounds like Sandfall is open to expanding the world of Expedition 33. One of the writers teased that DLC might be on the table, possibly exploring other expeditions mentioned in the story. The team is still riding the high from the game’s strong debut, but they’ve made it clear they’d love to build more content if players want it.
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