Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 devs say pressure from fans and critics is "not so important for us" and their next game will focus on what they think is cool

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was one of the biggest games of 2025. The debut title from Sandfall Interactive made a strong impact across the industry and won several awards at different events. The game was widely praised for its storytelling, unique art direction, turn-based combat, and well-written characters. For a first release, its success was far beyond what many expected.

With that level of praise, pressure is usually unavoidable. Fans expect more, and critics raise expectations even higher. For a young studio like Sandfall Interactive, many would assume the team now feels forced to outdo itself or follow what players want for the next game. However, the developers have made it clear that this is not how they plan to move forward.

In an interview with Edge Magazine (Issue 419), the studio’s chief operating officer and production director, Francois Meurisse, addressed this topic directly. He said that while the team does feel some pressure from fans and critics, it is “not so important for us.” 

Meurisse also shared that the team is taking its time with the next project and that they have some great ideas they are excited to explore. He added that the team now has around five more years of experience compared to when they started Expedition 33, which opens the door to doing things on a larger level.

"We'll have time to get really focused into the next game. We have some great ideas we're so excited to explore, and we don't start from the same point. The team already has five more years of experience. So maybe we can do some great stuff."

The studio’s lead writer, Jennifer Svedberg-Yen, shared a similar view. She admitted that she is naturally a people pleaser and that fan expectations are always at the back of her mind. She knows that many players now care deeply about what the studio does next. Still, she said that Sandfall Interactive has always allowed its personal taste in terms of “what we think is cool” to lead the creative aspect, and they will continue to trust their instincts and the vision behind the studio.

“I’m a bit of a people pleaser, so it's always in the back of my mind that we have a lot of fans now, and they have certain expectations and certain feelings towards the game." She continued, “Creatively, we've always let our North Star be our own personal taste in terms of what we think is cool, what it is we enjoy and want to see.”

She also mentioned that she has seen too many TV shows and books lose their identity because creators tried to satisfy too many opinions at once. When that happens, the heart of the story often disappears, and that is something she wants to avoid.

“I've seen too many TV shows and books be swayed trying to please a lot of people, and in the process you end up losing the heart of what's there. So [we] feel like we need to trust our instincts and continue to trust the vision behind the studio."