Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has reached an impressive milestone, selling over 2 million copies just 12 days after its release. This is a significant jump from the 1 million copies sold within the first three days, highlighting growing enthusiasm for the game.
It’s important to note that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launched alongside Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered as part of Game Pass on day one. This makes the game’s commercial success even more notable for developer Sandfall Interactive and publisher Kepler Interactive.
“We’ve watched in awe as so many of you began your journey,” read a message shared via social media. “Feeling every step, every emotion, every revelation alongside you.
To those just joining us: welcome.
Tonorrow comes.”
When Bethesda surprise-released The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered at the same time as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, many believed only one title would dominate. Surprisingly, both games found their audience and thrived.
In fact, according to Kepler Interactive, not only did Oblivion fail to overshadow Clair Obscur, it may have actually helped by generating broader interest in RPGs as a genre.
Matt Handrahan, senior portfolio manager at Kepler Interactive, explained during a recent interview with The Game Business: “We always knew that Expedition 33 had a very distinct identity. When I was in the press, I saw Western-style RPGs and Japanese-style RPGs as appealing to different audiences. There are plenty of players who enjoy Elder Scrolls but wouldn’t touch Final Fantasy—and vice versa.
“Also, by the time launch week came around, we already had our own momentum going. We felt confident enough to stand side by side with Oblivion. Additional factors like our pricing strategy and inclusion in Game Pass gave us confidence in attracting attention. And ultimately, everything went better than we could have hoped. The proximity to Oblivion didn’t hurt us—in fact, it might have helped by drawing more attention to high-quality RPGs that week.”
The game's success has been so impactful that even French President Emmanuel Macron publicly praised the development team behind
