Honestly, nobody saw this coming. When the first trailer for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dropped, the internet basically had a collective "wait, who?" moment. We saw high-fidelity character models that looked like they belonged in a $200 million Sony blockbuster, a battle system that felt like Final Fantasy on caffeine, and an art style pulled straight from a French art gallery.
Then we found out the truth.
The Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer isn't some massive corporate entity with a thousand employees and a skyscraper in Tokyo. It’s Sandfall Interactive, a relatively small studio based in Montpellier, France. At the time of the game’s peak development, they were operating with a core team of roughly 30 people.
Think about that for a second. Thirty people.
While the biggest names in the industry were bloated with 800-person credits lists and decade-long development cycles, Sandfall was working out of a modest office, fueled by coffee and a very specific obsession with turn-based RPGs. They wanted to prove that you don't need a kingdom to build a masterpiece.
The Ubisoft Exodus: Why Sandfall Interactive Even Exists
You can't talk about the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer without talking about where they came from. The studio was founded in 2020 by Guillaume Broche. He’s the Creative Director, but more importantly, he’s a guy who spent years in the trenches at Ubisoft.
💡 You might also like: Stuck on the Connections hint June 13? Here is how to solve it without losing your mind
He wasn't alone.
A significant chunk of the early Sandfall team were Ubisoft veterans. They were the people who worked on Far Cry 6, Beyond Good & Evil 2 (the game that seemingly never ends), and the Prince of Persia series. They knew how to make big games. But more importantly, they knew exactly why big games often lose their soul.
Guillaume basically wanted a "great escape." He saw a gap in the market that the big AAA publishers were ignoring: the high-fidelity, turn-based RPG. For years, the industry narrative was that turn-based combat was "niche" or "outdated." Publishers wanted live-service shooters and open-world check-lists. Sandfall wanted to make something that felt like the Final Fantasy or Lost Odyssey games they grew up loving, but with a modern, French-inspired twist.
The Secret Weapon: How 30 People Built This
Whenever someone mentions the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer team size, there’s usually a bit of skepticism. "There's no way 30 people made that," people say. And look, to be totally fair, they weren't literally alone.
Sandfall was smart. They didn't try to build every single blade of grass in-house. They leaned heavily on Unreal Engine 5. They used MetaHumans for the character bases. They partnered with external support studios for things like performance capture and specific 3D assets.
📖 Related: GTA Vice City Cheat Switch: How to Make the Definitive Edition Actually Fun
But the "brain" of the game—the combat logic, the script, the level design, and that haunting Belle Époque art direction—all came from that core nucleus in Montpellier.
What sets them apart?
- The Reactionary Combat: They didn't just copy Persona. They added "Reactive" elements, meaning you have to actually dodge and parry in real-time during a turn-based fight. It’s stressful. It’s brilliant.
- The Setting: Instead of generic medieval fantasy, they went with a surrealist version of 19th-century France.
- The Narrative Stakes: A goddess who paints a number on a wall every year, and everyone that age just... vanishes. It's a dark, weird concept that only an independent team would have the guts to commit to.
Success Nobody Predicted (Except Maybe Them)
By the time we hit early 2026, the data was in. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 had sold over 5 million units. For a debut title from a new studio, those are "stop-what-you're-doing" numbers.
Even Hideo Kojima chimed in. He publicly called Sandfall the "ideal" size for a creative team. He’s not wrong. When you’re small, you can make decisions in five minutes over lunch instead of five weeks of corporate meetings. That agility is exactly why the game feels so cohesive. Every mechanic feels like it was put there by someone who actually cared, not by a committee trying to maximize "user engagement metrics."
The "AI Controversy" and Factual Reality
It wasn't all sunshine and roses, though. Late in 2025, a bit of a firestorm kicked off. Some critics and award bodies questioned if the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer used generative AI to achieve those high-end visuals on such a small budget.
Sandfall was pretty transparent about it. They used modern tools—like many UE5 developers do—but the "soul" was human. Most of the "controversy" was just people being unable to wrap their heads around the efficiency of a small, talented team using a powerful engine. It actually cost them a few "Game of the Year" trophies from certain outlets, but honestly? The 400+ other awards they did win probably made up for it.
👉 See also: Gothic Romance Outfit Dress to Impress: Why Everyone is Obsessed With This Vibe Right Now
What’s Next for Sandfall?
If you're waiting for Expedition 34, don't hold your breath just yet. Sandfall has been very vocal about the fact that they don't want to become the thing they fled.
Producer François Meurisse has stated they have no plans to balloon into a 500-person studio. They want to stay agile. They want to stay "artsy." Currently, they’re supporting the game with "A Painted Symphony"—a live orchestral tour across Europe that’s selling out faster than most rock concerts.
They've also confirmed they are working on a new project, but it’s not a direct sequel. It's something new. Something "equally weird," according to the dev blogs.
Actionable Insights for Players and Aspiring Devs
If you’ve been following the rise of the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer, there are a few things you should take away from their success:
- Don't Sleep on Turn-Based: If you’re a player who thinks turn-based is "boring," go play the Expedition 33 demo. The parry system will change your mind in about ten minutes.
- Efficiency over Scale: For developers, Sandfall is the blueprint. You don't need a thousand people; you need thirty people with a single, unshakeable vision and the right tools (like UE5).
- Follow the Talent, Not the Logo: Many of the best games of the mid-2020s aren't coming from the "Big Three" or the massive publishers. They're coming from veteran "escapees" who are finally getting to make the games they actually want to play.
Keep an eye on Montpellier. Sandfall Interactive isn't a one-hit wonder. They’re the start of a new era where "independent" doesn't mean "low budget"—it just means "free."
Next Steps for You
- Check the official Sandfall Interactive website for the latest "Thank You" update, which includes free character skins.
- If you're into the music, look up the "A Painted Symphony" tour dates for 2026; tickets are currently on sale for the London and Paris shows.