Clair Obscur Devs Tease “Great Ideas” for Next Game, But Plan to Stay Small

After the massive success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, all eyes are on Sandfall Interactive—and the team is already looking ahead. While the French studio is still riding high from one of 2025’s biggest critical and commercial hits, it’s not rushing into rapid expansion. Instead, Sandfall plans to keep things lean and focused as it begins work on its next project.

“We already have some great ideas,” COO François Meurisse told GamesIndustry.biz.

Staying Small After a Big Win

Released on April 24, Expedition 33 quickly became a breakout hit, selling 3.3 million copies in just 33 days. Critics praised its turn-based combat, painterly visuals, and character-driven storytelling. What caught even more attention, however, was that the game was built by a core team of just 30 people, many of whom were new to the industry.

That small-scale success isn’t something Sandfall plans to abandon.

“Our vision is to stick to a close team working in the same city with less than 50 people on board,” said Meurisse. “Focusing on one project after another, and keeping this agility, this creative strength, and smartness of a small group of passionate people.”

He also pointed to industry examples like Ocarina of Time and Half-Life 2, both made with teams of 60–70 people—proof that big impact doesn’t require massive headcount.

While the studio isn’t ready to reveal what’s next, Meurisse confirmed that Studio Head Guillaume Broche already has a number of ideas in the works. The team is also in a much stronger place than it was a few years ago, with valuable experience under its belt across art, animation, and programming.

“The team has grown up, has acquired new skills throughout production, so we’re starting the next project from a more efficient position than when we started the company five years ago,” Meurisse added. “I can’t wait to dig more into the ideas we already have.”