Macron Shouts Out French RPG Hit Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in Surprising Instagram Moment

French President Emmanuel Macron giving a public nod to a turn-based RPG wasn’t exactly on our 2025 checklist—but here we are.

As spotted by Twitter user @HuinGuillaume, Macron took to Instagram to celebrate the breakout success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, writing:

“One million copies sold, and one of the best rated games in history: and yes, it is French! Congrats to Sandfall Interactive and the creators of Expedition 33. You make France’s creativity and audacity shine across the world.”

Not a bad endorsement coming from the president himself.

From Political Critic to Gaming Hype Man?

The praise marks a striking shift in tone from Macron. Just two years ago, in July 2023, he sparked controversy by linking violent video games to youth riots in France. Speaking after widespread unrest following the police killing of teenager Nahel Merzouk, Macron blamed games for inspiring "copycat violence"—a theory long debunked by researchers. His comments were widely criticized as out-of-touch and lacking evidence.

Fast forward to 2025, and Macron is now championing a video game as a point of national pride.

A Huge Moment for French Game Development

Developed by Montpellier-based Sandfall Interactive, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a genre-blending RPG inspired by Japanese classics but built with a modern sensibility. Created using Unreal Engine 5 and featuring an evocative, painterly art style, the game has wowed both fans and critics.

Since its launch on April 24, it has sold over 1 million copies in just three days, racked up a 92 Metacritic score, and earned a 9.7 user rating, making it the highest-rated game of 2025 so far.

Not bad for a debut title from a studio founded just five years ago and only have 30 devs.

A Cultural Power Play

Macron’s public praise doesn’t feel like a throwaway post. It reflects France’s growing embrace of gaming as a cultural and economic force. In recent years, his administration has shown increasing support for both game development and esports, including a national strategy to boost competitive gaming and attract international events.

This isn’t the first time Macron has boosted French gaming either. Earlier this week, he also congratulated Team Vitality for winning IEM Melbourne and securing the Intel Grand Slam in Counter-Strike—a separate but similarly prideful moment for French gamers.