"Clair Obscur Director Leaves Ubisoft, Aims for 2025 Game of the Year"

Discover how boredom at Ubisoft sparked the creation of 2025's top-rated game, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and the founding story of Sandfall Interactive.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Was Made Out of Boredom

Doing Something Different

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has quickly become a classic, earning the title of the highest-rated game of 2025 and selling over 1 million copies in just three days. Remarkably, this game-of-the-year contender was born out of sheer boredom and a longing for innovation.

In an interview with BBC News on May 4, Sandfall Interactive's developers shared the origin story of the game. Director Guillaume Broche admitted that the project began as a way to alleviate his boredom. While working at Ubisoft during the peak of the 2020 pandemic, he felt restless and conceived an idea for a new game.

Inspired by the JRPG series Final Fantasy, which he cherished since childhood, Broche embarked on a journey to bring his vision to life, starting with reaching out on Reddit.

A Stroke of Luck

To realize his vision, Broche posted on Reddit and various online forums seeking collaborators. His concept of a Belle Époque-inspired turn-based game didn't initially draw much enthusiasm. Nevertheless, Broche persisted, sending out numerous feelers for his passion project.

During the lockdown in Australia, Jennifer Svedberg-Yen responded to one of Broche's Reddit posts seeking voice actors. "I was like: 'I've never done that, it sounds kinda cool', so I sent him an audition," Svedberg-Yen recalled. Initially cast as a major character's voice, she eventually became the lead writer for Expedition 33.

Broche eventually left Ubisoft to focus entirely on Expedition 33, founding Sandfall Interactive. With funding from publisher Kepler Interactive, the team expanded to about 30 members, many of whom were discovered through unconventional means, such as composer Lorien Testard, found via Soundcloud.

With Kepler Interactive's backing, the team was able to recruit renowned actors including Charlie Cox (Daredevil), Ben Starr (Final Fantasy XVI), Jennifer English (Baldur’s Gate 3), and Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings), among others.

Despite the team's growth, Broche and Svedberg-Yen emphasized their versatility, noting they "wore many different hats" during production. Svedberg-Yen, for instance, also handled translations into various languages. Broche praised the team, saying, "We have, I think, an amazing team mostly of junior people but they are so incredibly invested in the project and talented."

The magical origins of Expedition 33 mirror the enchanting nature of the game itself. Fueled by boredom and a stroke of luck, Sandfall Interactive crafted a timeless masterpiece that promises to captivate players for generations. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Stay updated with the latest news on the game by checking out our article below!