Sandfall hints at turning their breakout hit into a long-running franchise.
2025 has already been full of surprises, but one of the biggest breakout games so far has been Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. What started as a unique new RPG from Sandfall Studio is now taking shape to be more than just a one-off adventure. In fact, Expedition 33 may only have been the groundwork for an “expedition” that’s bigger than anything we have seen yet.
The buzz started after an interview with the game’s creative director, conducted by Mr. Matty Plays. During their chat, the director made it clear that Clair Obscur would not be restricted to Expedition 33.
Instead, Clair Obscur in and of itself is a franchise in the making, while Expedition 33 is just one of the many stories they plan to tell within it. He didn’t reveal specifics on what comes next, but he made one thing loud and clear: that Clair Obscur is here to stay.
Given the massive success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, it only makes sense to capitalize on it. Millions of players now recognize the Clair Obscur name, so Sandfall can easily build an empire with entries around that core branding. Each new game could carry the Clair Obscur name with a different subtitle that gradually unravels the underbelly of the Clair Obscur universe.
And if you’ve played Expedition 33, you already know that the game’s already hit a home run on debut. So, for a full-blown franchise to be in the works is only good news for us. Without giving away spoilers, the game’s twists and storytelling practically beg for an expansion. There’s a lot of room to explore fresh viewpoints, fresh plotlines, and perhaps even parallel stories that subtly connect but still stand their ground.
Sandfall’s lips are sealed, but the message is clear. Expedition 33 was just the opening act, and if the success of that title is anything to go by, what’s possibly going to come ahead will be “absolute cinema.”
