Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the kind of breakout success that instantly puts a studio on the map, but it also puts pressure on that same studio to grow, scale, and repeat that success on a much bigger playing field.
Sandfall Interactive, the French team behind the game, knows this all too well. Despite Clair Obscur pulling in over 3.3 million sales within its first month and stacking more than 100,000 overwhelmingly positive Steam reviews, the studio has no plans to balloon into a massive AAA operation.
That’s not a headstrong attitude as many people try to frame it, but it’s a strategy. From day one, Sandfall chose to work with a lean group of roughly 30 developers, complemented by outsourced specialists in cinematics, music, localization, and animation.
This hybrid model lets them create something that feels like a blockbuster without actually operating like one.
Why Doesn’t Sandfall Want to Expand?
During an interview with Automaton, Creative Director Guillaume Broche and Lead Programmer Tom Guillermin said that Sandfall’s leadership has openly said that their current team size suits the games they want to create.
They believe that bringing in more people won’t necessarily improve the games and could actually dilute the focus and unity that made Clair Obscur stand out.
Starting from zero, they spent a lot of time interviewing over 200 candidates to assemble a team skilled and committed to the studio’s collaborative goals.
Some were newly graduated, while others came without any prior experience in the field.
Their drive, adaptability, and readiness to rethink the usual playbook made Clair Obscur stand out.
The industry has a habit of pushing smaller studios to “level up” after a hit—add more staff, chase higher budgets, aim for broader audiences.
Fortunately, Sandfall understands the trap that comes with going down that road.
They’ve already said that unless they’re working on a completely different kind of game, they see no reason to expand the team. The current structure works—and more importantly, it works for them.
What’s in the Cards for Sandfall’s Future?
Even with publishers and fans now expecting a follow-up or even a full franchise, Sandfall isn’t promising anything.
A sequel is possible, but so is an entirely new IP. What’s clear is that they won’t let hype dictate their direction.
They don’t shy away from the spotlight, but they don’t let it consume them.
In an industry where AAA development often means ballooning costs, crunch, and creative risk, Clair Obscur has become a proof-of-concept for how polished, full-priced games can still come from focused AA teams.
And with Unreal Engine lowering the technical barriers, it’s likely we’ll see more studios attempt a similar route.
In short, Clair Obscur might look and feel like a massive AAA production, but its success is built on AA foundations: smart outsourcing, sharp vision, and a team that knows exactly what it wants to be.
If they stay on track, they could redefine the middle tier of game development for years.
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