The creators of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 believe the worst mistake a studio can make after success is trying too hard to please everyone. Sandfall Interactive plans to develop its next game using the exact same isolated, instinct-driven approach that defined Expedition 33.

The success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 brought an unexpected side effect for its creators. Sandfall Interactive went from an unknown studio to one of the most closely watched teams in the video game industry almost overnight. A development group that once worked without pressure now faces enormous expectations. The team is fully aware of this shift and, more importantly, knows exactly which mistake it cannot afford to make.

The Goal Is to Replicate the Expedition 33 Formula

Jennifer Svedberg-Yen, lead writer on Expedition 33, spoke to EDGE magazine about the studio’s new reality. She openly acknowledged that the pressure is real. “I like to please people, so I’m always conscious of the fact that we now have a lot of fans with expectations for what comes next”, she said.

According to her, this feeling is shared across the studio, but it is not allowed to dictate creative choices. When planning the next game, the team intends to deliberately isolate itself from external noise and work exactly as it did during the development of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

“From a creative standpoint, we’ve always followed our own taste: what we find interesting, what we like, and what we want to see. I’ve seen too many TV shows and books shaped by the desire to please audiences, only to lose their essence. We need to trust our instincts and the studio’s vision”, Svedberg-Yen explained.

Guillaume Broche, co-founder of Sandfall Interactive and director of Expedition 33, echoed the same philosophy at the 3DJuegos awards. “We made our first game without expecting everyone to love it. That’s why it feels sincere and authentic. If we do the same with the next one, it should work. And if it doesn’t, that’s just how it goes”, he said.

The objective is not repetition for its own sake, but creating something new while preserving the mindset and creative process that led to one of the most critically acclaimed games of recent years.

Source: 3djuegos