Sandfall Interactive Confirms Clair Obscur as a Franchise

French developer Sandfall Interactive has officially confirmed that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, released on April 24, 2025, is the first entry in a broader franchise rather than a standalone title. The announcement positions Clair Obscur as a continuing universe for multiple stories. It also settles speculation about the game's future, which seemed threatened due to a recent controversy after it lost some awards due to AI use during its development. Creative director Guillaume Broche emphasized that the studio plans to explore a variety of narratives within the franchise, though specific details about upcoming titles remain under wraps.

A massive success as a foundation

Since its launch, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has seen remarkable commercial and critical success. The game sold over 5 million copies worldwide within its first few months and became a standout title on platforms including Xbox Game Pass. Players and critics praised the game's Belle Époque-inspired setting, emotionally engaging storylines, and innovative turn-based combat system. This acclaim translated into numerous awards across 2025, cementing the game's status as a high point for Sandfall Interactive.

In addition to celebrating the launch, Sandfall also released a free "Thank you" update with additional content to celebrate that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 became the Game of the Year 2025, reinforcing the studio’s dedication to the game while offering the fans a small reward for theit unconditional support..

Regarding a future next installment, Sandfall remains deliberately tight-lipped. Broche has confirmed that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is only the beginning of the Clair Obscur universe and that future entries will continue to explore this world. Early statements suggest the studio intends to maintain a smaller, agile development team to preserve creative flexibility and hands-on involvement, rather than scaling up to a larger production. While fans speculate on sequels, spin-offs, or genre-expanding titles, the next game’s genre, story, or release window has not been officially revealed.

Industry analysts have welcomed the confirmation of Clair Obscur as a franchise, viewing it as a smart long-term strategy. By establishing a rich universe with a successful debut title, Sandfall can carefully develop future projects while retaining creative control. Although the studio has navigated some controversy over discussions of AI use in development, Broche has affirmed that the creative process for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was primarily human-driven.

As anticipation grows for Sandfall's next move, the gaming community is keeping a close eye on any updates. While concrete details remain scarce, the confirmation of Clair Obscur as a franchise assures fans that the world of Expedition 33 is just the beginning, with new adventures on the horizon. Of course, if you haven't discovered the best game of 2025, you should visit our comparator to find the best discounts for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.