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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Sweeps The Game Awards With Record Nine Wins, Including Game of the Year

Built by a small Montpellier team with publisher backing, the reported $10 million budget is prompting questions about the independent label.

Overview

  • The title won nine awards at the Los Angeles ceremony, led by Game of the Year and including honors for narrative, role-playing, and music score.
  • It also took Best Independent Game, and the developers dedicated the trophy to creators working with limited resources as debate intensified over its indie credentials.
  • Sandfall Interactive began the project in 2020 under Guillaume Broche, grew to roughly 30 developers, and secured a publishing deal with Kepler Interactive in 2022.
  • Since its April release, sales have surpassed five million copies and the acclaimed soundtrack has drawn hundreds of millions of streams, leading to sold-out concerts and a 2026 European tour.
  • Set in a Belle Époque–inspired city called Lumiere with turn-based combat and reactive parry mechanics, the game’s success has drawn presidential praise in France and plans reported for a film adaptation.