Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Director Always Wanted to Put Players First

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been released for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Game Pass. It is an ambitious project by a small team of passionate developers with a unique vision of innovating the RPG genre. For a game with realistic visuals, one might assume it comes with a premium price tag; however, this was never the case for Sandfall Interactive.

Director Guillaume Broche took the opportunity to set the record straight about the price. While most game developers are confident in pushing through the $70 threshold, not everyone is willing to follow suit, and Broche has a good reason behind it.

The Director of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Justifies the Game’s Modest Price Tag

The gaming community was intrigued when Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was first revealed last year during the Xbox Games Showcase. The breathtaking visuals and talented ensemble cast piqued the curiosity of RPG fans, but they were caught off guard when Sandfall Interactive decided to price this game for only $50. On paper, the game looks like what most AAA games are today in terms of detail, but this project technically falls under the AA category due to the size of the team and development cost.

While there are no confirmed numbers for how much Sandfall Interactive spent on this project, Broche hinted that the limited budget and the fact that this is the studio’s first major game factored into the finished product’s pricing.

Around the 3:20 mark, Bronche wanted Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to be accessible to every player regardless of platform, which is also why the game is available on Game Pass. It may seem odd for game developers to willingly go below the norm for a premium price tag, but Sandfall Interactive is fairly new, and the team knows how to win some goodwill from the fans.

While making a profit is necessary, especially in this industry, Bronche is confident that the game will fare just fine. All physical editions of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 were sold out, and this speaks volumes about how well this game resonated with the player base. Bronche knew it would be a hard sell for a new studio to release its first game with a $70 price tag and realized compromises must be made. Casual players will be inclined to try it out, especially if it is much more affordable than most AAA titles on the shelves.

The success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Sandfall Interactive proves many things, such as that the game’s price doesn’t necessarily reflect the quality. Many were skeptical that the game’s affordable price suggests the content isn’t up to standard, or it will be just another eye candy without quality gameplay, but there is more to it than the surface level. Another thing the developers proved was that passion and limited manpower can be powerful tools to create something memorable.

For more Thumb Wars coverage, check out Randy Pitchford’s comments about a fan’s concern for Borderlands 4, and Remedy Entertainment’s new approach to game development with a limited budget. Otherwise, follow Thumb Wars on X, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram to keep up with the latest news, reviews, and interviews!

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