From humble beginnings as a personal project at Ubisoft, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has catapulted its tiny studio, Sandfall Interactive, into the spotlight with 12 Game Award nominations. The narrative-driven roleplaying game's Belle Époque setting, challenging combat, and great writing have captivated players worldwide.
Guillaume Broche, the game's creator, recounts his dedication to the project, putting in eight hours a day after work for years without sleep. Joining him on this journey were Tom Guillermin on programming, Francoise Meurisse as producer, Lorien Testard on composition (discovered through SoundCloud), and Jennifer Svedberg-Yen on writing (auditioned via Reddit). The team's shared passion and philosophy drove their creative decisions.
Svedberg-Yen, who transitioned from finance to writing, describes her experience in the industry: "It never crossed my mind as a career option... As an adage goes, for Asian parents [it's] doctors, lawyers, or finance." She found solace in Clair Obscur, where she discovered a deep connection through writing. The game's narrative explores traumatic experiences and vulnerability, which resonated with players.
The team's emphasis on authenticity and sincerity led to a unique aesthetic, complete with berets and mimes. Broche clarifies that the game is not intended as French propaganda but rather an authentic representation of the era. Clair Obscur's story has received praise for its grounding in truth, echoing Svedberg-Yen's process: "We are all first-time writers and game developers... And so we kind of only know instinctively how to write from within."
The team's success has come as a surprise, with some players sharing heartfelt messages about finding solace or inspiration through the game. Broche believes this can be attributed to his willingness to be vulnerable and open in communication: "If people don't like it, they don't like you." The industry's anxiety over AI development aside, Sandfall remains optimistic, thanks in part to advancements in technology like Unreal Engine 4.
As Clair Obscur continues to captivate players, its impact extends beyond the gaming world. It has inspired aspiring creatives to restart their own projects and tap into their creative potential once more.
Guillaume Broche, the game's creator, recounts his dedication to the project, putting in eight hours a day after work for years without sleep. Joining him on this journey were Tom Guillermin on programming, Francoise Meurisse as producer, Lorien Testard on composition (discovered through SoundCloud), and Jennifer Svedberg-Yen on writing (auditioned via Reddit). The team's shared passion and philosophy drove their creative decisions.
Svedberg-Yen, who transitioned from finance to writing, describes her experience in the industry: "It never crossed my mind as a career option... As an adage goes, for Asian parents [it's] doctors, lawyers, or finance." She found solace in Clair Obscur, where she discovered a deep connection through writing. The game's narrative explores traumatic experiences and vulnerability, which resonated with players.
The team's emphasis on authenticity and sincerity led to a unique aesthetic, complete with berets and mimes. Broche clarifies that the game is not intended as French propaganda but rather an authentic representation of the era. Clair Obscur's story has received praise for its grounding in truth, echoing Svedberg-Yen's process: "We are all first-time writers and game developers... And so we kind of only know instinctively how to write from within."
The team's success has come as a surprise, with some players sharing heartfelt messages about finding solace or inspiration through the game. Broche believes this can be attributed to his willingness to be vulnerable and open in communication: "If people don't like it, they don't like you." The industry's anxiety over AI development aside, Sandfall remains optimistic, thanks in part to advancements in technology like Unreal Engine 4.
As Clair Obscur continues to captivate players, its impact extends beyond the gaming world. It has inspired aspiring creatives to restart their own projects and tap into their creative potential once more.
, I mean what's the big deal? A bunch of indie devs churning out a game with some fancy writing and a dash of French flair 
. Newsflash: games have been about storytelling for ages, like The Last of Us or BioShock, but nobody remembers them because they didn't have a cute beret in sight 
. And don't even get me started on the whole "vulnerability" thing – I've seen more heartfelt messages on a Reddit thread about anime 
. The fact that this game is getting all these awards just means the voters are desperate for something new, like a bunch of gamers searching for meaning in their lives 
. Sandfall Interactive can keep its Unreal Engine 4 and its Game Awards – I'll stick to playing actual games with substance, not just some novelty indie project 
just looked at some stats on game development and it's crazy how much time and effort goes into making a game like Clair Obscur - 8 hours/day for years straight is insane 
(think of all the pizza and sleepless nights that went into making this) but omg did you see that the game has been streamed over 1.5M times on Twitch in just a week alone 
22K followers on Reddit's r/ClairObscur and growing fast! 
According to Steam Spy, Clair Obscur has sold around 200k+ copies at $15 each = $3Million 
. That's like buying every Steam key for a year 
and getting change left over 
Women in gaming are still underrepresented, but Clair Obscur has got 4 female leads, including Jennifer Svedberg-Yen 
who went from finance to writing - that's some serious career swag 
. I mean, what are the chances, right? Guillaume Broche pouring his heart and soul into this game without sleep? It's almost too good to be true 
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. And what about the fact that Clair Obscur has inspired aspiring creatives? That's just too perfect. It's like they're trying to manipulate our emotions and get us to buy into their narrative 
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I mean, who wouldn't want to be a game dev after seeing this team's dedication? 8 hours/day for years without sleep? That's like me trying to adult 
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. But what I love most is how the team stuck to their guns and created something genuine. No fancy polish needed when you're coming from a place of passion 
. And can we talk about Guillaume Broche being unapologetically himself? 
"If people don't like it, they don't like you"? Word 
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. I mean, 12 Game Award nominations? That's insane! But what really gets me is the team behind it - they're like, super passionate about storytelling and authenticity 
. I love how the team didn't try to create some sort of French propaganda, but rather an authentic representation of the era 
. I love how Guillaume Broche poured his heart into the project, putting in 8 hours a day after work without sleep 
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. And let's be real, who wouldn't want to play a game with berets and mimes? 
I'm low-key obsessed with this game 
! The fact that it's a narrative-driven RPG set in Belle Époque Paris is giving me all the feels 
. I love how Guillaume Broche is unapologetically himself 
. And the visuals? 
Sandfall Interactive is on a roll! 
I'm sending them all my love and support 
. The attention to detail in Clair Obscur is insane, from the Belle Époque setting to those adorable berets 
. Guillaume Broche's dedication to the project is super inspiring, putting in 8 hours a day for years on end 
. And can we talk about Jennifer Svedberg-Yen's journey? She went from finance to writing and found her passion through Clair Obscur 
. It's awesome how the team's authenticity and sincerity have paid off, with players sharing their heartfelt messages about finding solace in the game 
. It just goes to show that you're never too old or too rusty to try something new. I'm so here for this narrative-driven RPG, it sounds like it's gonna be some deep and meaningful stuff