Silly or even “stupid” ideas don’t lead to poor outcomes by default, especially if you look at the developers who createdClair Obscur Expedition 33.
In a recent heart-to-heart chat on thePirate Software YouTube channel, the host had an hour-long session with Guillame Broche and Nicholas Maxson-Francombe. Broche is the CEO and Creative Director of Sandfall Interactive, while Maxson-Francombe is the Art Director at the same studios. The duo are key figures behind the success ofClair Obscur Expedition 33, and they revealed some interesting insights into how the game was developed.
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 developers are always open to many ideas
As of writing,Clair Obscur Expedition 33has been a commercial and critical success. Whether it’s the sales figure or the Metacritic ratings, the turn-based RPG has managed to delight one and all. It’s quite easily among my top three games played in 2025, and for many good reasons.
Whether it’s the main story, the voice acting, or the in-game mechanics,Expedition 33stands out. When we talk about successful projects in life (not just video games), they usually involve grand plans, followed by strong execution. As Broche explained, most of the content and the in-game mechanics came from “stupid” and “silly ideas”.
Most of these ideas were just tried out to see how they would work. In the end, these very ideas have madeExpedition 33a memorable experience, and a potential GOTY contender as things stand. According to Broche, this is the best way to make “cool content” that others might not even dare to think of in the first place.
Broche also explained how he and the team at Sandfall Interactive are always open to new suggestions.
I have always wondered about howClair Obscur Expedition 33may have turned out had Sandfall Interactive followed the tried-and-tested formulas. It didn’t take long for me to understand that this isn’t your typical turn-based game, as the core gameplay is well complemented by all the additional aspects.
We live in a stage when many AAA titles fail miserably as players get bored quite easily.Expedition 33, on the other hand, never took the boring formula, and the team under Broche’s leadership ended up trying out new things. To think that these ideas started as “stupid” and “silly” makes it even more remarkable.
While there won’t be a DLC or expansion for the game in the foreseeable future, the team at Sandfall Interactive is working hard to improve the base game.
