With over five million units sold and multiple awards already, all eyes are on Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to conquer The Game Awards next week. For that reason – and perhaps because the year is winding down – Microsoft has declared it the “biggest new third-party game launch on Xbox Game Pass of 2025.”
That milestone factors “the number of unique users in the first 30 days of its availability.” While it didn’t share any figures, the developer confirmed 3.3 million sales in the first 33 days of release. Keep in mind that this was with The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered launching smackdab at the same time (and becoming a huge success in its own right).
On Xbox Wire, creative director Guillaume Broche said, “This year has been so far beyond what any of us could have imagined, and it’s down to how passionate and supportive our fans have been to make that a reality. It’s really nerve-wracking to be a new studio releasing our first game, but the support of everyone has really made everything feel like a dream.”
ID@Xbox director Guy Richards added, “From the start, Sandfall’s ambition was clear, and we really felt they wanted to create something truly special, something beyond expectations for the team. Once we played early builds, we experienced their gripping story, stunning visuals and the mix of JRPG mechanics with French cultural themes that felt fresh and distinctive. It’s the kind of experience we knew Xbox players would love to discover.”
Broche also credited Xbox for their support, “From being there to announce our game back in Summer 2024, to coming to the studio for the Developer_Direct video in January, Xbox helped us get the word out there and reach a lot of players.” Game Pass also allows a “lot of people try our game when maybe they might not have before. The turn-based RPG genre has a lot of fans, but sometimes it might put people who prefer more real-time action games off but Game Pass lowered that barrier of entry.
“They could just try it and see how it feels. So a lot of curious players could start the game, explore Lumière and the early game, and realize there’s a lot to enjoy here, even if they weren’t expecting it at first.”
Say what you will about Xbox and its many flaws, but Broche isn’t wrong. The first trailer stole the show at the Xbox Games Showcase last year and has only garnered more hype ever since. Sandfall Interactive is currently working on a major free update that adds a new environment, enemies and challenging late-game bosses. There will also be more unlockable outfits for each character and some “surprises” to look forward to.
This is an exciting development for both Microsoft and Sandfall Interactive! It’s impressive to see such strong sales and recognition for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It will be interesting to see how this game continues to shape the gaming landscape in 2025.
the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in such a competitive market. It’s fascinating how the collaboration between Microsoft and indie developers can lead to innovative game experiences. This could set a new standard for future game launches on the Game Pass!