Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Latest Updates

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 News

2025

April 3

⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is set to provide PC players with a variety of graphical options, ranging from Low to Epic settings, ensuring everyone can enjoy the game at their preferred visual quality. Console gamers will have the choice between Performance and Quality modes. Notably, the game is optimized for the PS5 Pro, although detailed specifications are yet to be disclosed. Xbox users can start pre-loading the game now, in anticipation of its worldwide release on April 24 at 12 AM PT / 3 AM ET. The game will feature 56 achievements and trophies, challenging players to defeat bosses without taking damage and to collect all 33 music records.

Read more: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Reveals Graphics Settings, Trophy Expectations, and Xbox Pre-Load Info Ahead of Launch

March 24

⚫︎ Sandfall Interactive has announced that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will not feature a minimap, instead opting for a compass to guide players. This decision, as explained by producer Francois Meurisse, aims to enhance the game's exploration aspect and reduce dependency on UI elements. This choice is deeply integrated into the game's narrative, where players join an expedition into the unknown, following in the footsteps of unsuccessful predecessors. Meurisse emphasized, "They don’t have a map because every previous expedition failed," highlighting the thematic connection to feeling lost and uncertain, just like the in-game explorers.

Read more: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won't have a mini map to preserve its sense of discovery, says producer

March 21

⚫︎ Guillaume Broche, the director behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, began the project in 2019 out of a personal passion for turn-based RPGs. Feeling a lack of new titles in the genre, Broche decided to create what he wanted to play, hoping others would share his enthusiasm. The game draws inspiration from classics like Final Fantasy, Lost Odyssey, and FromSoftware's Sekiro, aiming to combine strategic combat with skill-based gameplay.

Read more: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's director was 'starving for new turn-based RPGs,' and figured if he wanted them, there would be others out there who'd want to play his game

March 19

⚫︎ Producer Francois Meurisse discussed how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 merges turn-based strategy with challenging, off-rhythm enemy attacks. While rooted in JRPG traditions, the game stands out with its Belle Epoque-inspired art style, reflecting Sandfall Interactive's vision for a unique visual and gameplay experience. The game takes cues from classic Final Fantasy titles, introduces real-time defensive mechanics inspired by Sekiro, and incorporates action point-based skills similar to those found in deckbuilders.

Read more: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is Sekiro Meets Belle Époque Meets JRPG

March 3

⚫︎ Ahead of its release, gaming media outlets had the chance to play demos of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The game's turn-based combat system was praised for being a fresh evolution of the genre, drawing from the best elements of classic JRPGs.

Read more: How Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s turn-based combat pays homage to all-time great JRPGs

January 30

⚫︎ Even before its release, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has secured a movie adaptation. Sandfall Interactive has teamed up with Story Kitchen, known for bringing games like Sonic and the upcoming Dredge to the screen. Though no director or cast has been announced yet, producers Dmitri M. Johnson, Mike Goldberg, and Elena Sandoval are on board. Story Kitchen is excited to bring the game's rich narrative and complex characters to life on the big screen.

Read more: Clair Obscur is Getting Its Own Live-Action Movie

2024

August 29

⚫︎ Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 heavily draws from classic turn-based RPGs, with creative director Guillaume Broche citing influences from Final Fantasy VIII-X, Persona, and Octopath Traveler. As a fan of the genre, Broche aimed to create a turn-based RPG with high-fidelity graphics, blending real-time reaction-based combat with strategic depth. Players can switch party members in the open world and use traversal abilities to solve puzzles. Broche was thrilled by the game's reception and hopes players will experiment with creative builds to "break the game." The development team aspires for Expedition 33 to have a lasting impact, much like the RPGs that inspired them.

Read more: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Wears Its FF and Persona Influences on Its Sleeves

July 30

⚫︎ Guillaume Broche revealed that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is inspired by real-world art and literature, with its name referencing the 17th-18th century French artistic movement Clair Obscur and its narrative influenced by the novel La Horde du Contrevent. The game focuses on high-fidelity visuals and introduces an innovative reactive turn-based battle system. Drawing from Souls games, Devil May Cry, and NieR, the game seeks to modernize the turn-based RPG combat experience.

Read more: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Historical Roots and Innovations