The developers of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 praise their dealings with Xbox

The ambitious RPG, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, developed by Sandfall Interactive and published by Kepler Interactive, has achieved a remarkable milestone by selling over one million copies in just three days since its release. This success has been partly catalyzed by its inclusion in Xbox Game Pass, as well as the coincidence of its premiere with the release of Oblivion Remastered, an iconic title in the RPG genre.

A game that has benefited from its relationship with Xbox

According to Matt Handrahan, senior portfolio manager at Kepler, the use of Game Pass and its position alongside franchises like Gears of War or Fable has radically transformed public perception of Expedition 33. “It helped us confidently claim a AA space,” Handrahan commented, emphasizing that without Xbox’s influence, the game would not have reached this level of exposure. The favorable perception among players is reflected in data from Ampere Analysis, which indicates that 35% of Expedition 33 users also played Oblivion, a figure that rises to 55% among Xbox users.

However, the arrival of Oblivion Remastered unexpectedly shortly before the launch of Expedition 33 was not seen as a threat, but as an opportunity. Kepler was confident that both titles could coexist and benefit from the growing interest in RPGs. Although Xbox stood out as the main platform for both games, the average playtime was shorter on this console: 2.2 hours compared to 4.4 hours on Steam and PS5.

The success of Expedition 33 was not immediate for Kepler. Initially, the first version of the game required improvements before the publisher decided to secure the rights after a second presentation. What is clear is that the game represents an intersection between small and large productions, and its potential has captured the attention of players in a competitive market.

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