Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the ambitious debut from French studio Sandfall Interactive, has now shipped over 4.4 million copies worldwide. The milestone was confirmed by members of the development team during a recent interview, where they reflected on the game’s success and hinted at early work on their next endeavor.
Florian, a gameplay programmer at Sandfall, described the studio as both proud and surprised by how strongly the title has resonated with players. “We’re super happy with what’s happening to us of course… but we know we’re still a small team,” he explained, adding that the studio remains grounded despite the rapid rise in recognition. Project manager Benjamin echoed this sentiment, noting that the team has not drastically changed as individuals, even as the game continues to reach new milestones.
During the interview, the developers revealed that while Expedition 33 continues to receive updates and quality-of-life improvements, a small part of the creative staff has already begun conceptual work on Sandfall’s next project. However, they emphasized that it is still far too early to share concrete details, as the effort is only in the artistic research stage. “It’s just artistic research,” they clarified, mentioning that the studio’s art and creative directors are spearheading this exploratory phase.
The team also discussed the development journey of Expedition 33, which took roughly five years to complete. While the studio initially started with just a handful of people, it quickly grew into a 30-person core team. The developers pointed out that their publisher granted them additional time and resources to polish the game, a move that helped ensure its strong reception. They also confirmed that the process avoided the crunch-heavy practices often associated with large-scale game development.
Released in April 2025, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a dark fantasy role-playing game blending turn-based mechanics with real-time elements. It quickly gained acclaim for its striking art direction, inventive combat, and emotionally resonant storytelling, selling 3.3 million copies within its first 33 days on the market. With sales now at 4.4 million, the title has secured its place among the year’s most notable releases.
Looking ahead, Sandfall is committed to maintaining the same team size rather than scaling up rapidly, suggesting that the studio will continue prioritizing creative cohesion over expansion. While the developers remained cautious about discussing future projects, they hinted that the “Clair Obscur” universe may not end with Expedition 33.
