Overview
- Yoshida told a Busan Indie Connect Festival audience on August 17, 2026, that he warned Kepler and developer Sandfall not to label Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 a turn‑based RPG because that tag might put players off.
- He said he played an early build two years earlier and admired its mix of classic JRPG turn order and real‑time inputs, but judged the simple label would hurt the game's discoverability.
- Kepler and Sandfall followed the advice and used broader phrasing such as “reactive turn‑based battles” when promoting the game.
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launched in 2025 to wide acclaim, won multiple Game of the Year awards, and sold millions of copies, outcomes Yoshida and outlets cite as the reason publishers are seeing more turn‑based RPG pitches.
- The episode highlights how advice from veteran industry figures and careful framing can change how players find games and how critical hits can revive interest in a genre that seemed unfashionable since Baldur’s Gate 3 reawakened attention in 2023.