Perhaps not by accident, Sandfall Interactive’s game was a huge success on Microsoft’s subscription service.
Looking at the calendar, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was released on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC, as well as on Xbox Game Pass, during the same week as the release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. It’s understandable to think that Clair Obscur didn’t stand a chance of standing out that week. However, the unexpected release of the Oblivion remaster was no obstacle for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. In fact, it became the biggest third-party new game on Xbox Game Pass in 2025 and remained so. Xbox began tracking this last year. In 2024, Palworld became the biggest third-party title ever released on Xbox Game Pass.
The size of a game’s release is measured by the number of unique users who play it in the first 30 days. This means that, in the first month of release, when the entire industry was gripped by Clair Obscur fever, many players turned to Xbox Game Pass to see what all the fuss was about. Guillaume Broche, creative director at Sandfall Interactive, noted that the collaboration between Sandfall Interactive and Xbox, as well as the release on Game Pass, were key to promoting Clair Obscur.
“This year has been beyond anything any of us could have imagined, and it’s thanks to the passion and support of our fans that it’s become a reality. Being a new studio releasing our first game is nerve-wracking, but everyone’s support has made it feel like a dream. From announcing our game in Summer 2024 to coming to the studio for the Developer_Direct video in January, Xbox has helped us spread the word and reach many players. They let a lot of people try our game who might not have otherwise. Turn-based RPGs have many fans, but the genre sometimes puts off people who prefer real-time action games. Game Pass lowered that barrier. They could just try it and see how it feels. Many curious players started the game, explored Lumière and the early game, and realized there’s a lot to enjoy here, even if they weren’t expecting it at first,” said Broche.
Not only did the game sweep the board at the Golden Joystick Awards, winning seven awards (including Game of the Year), but it also received 12 nominations at the Game Awards, where it has a good chance of repeating this success.
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