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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 isn't just an impressive Game of the Year candidate, but also a massive financial hit. Developer Sandfall Interactive along with publisher Kepler Interactive announced that the game topped five million copies sold, and that’s despite its status as a launch-day addition on Xbox Game Pass.

This achievement came as a surprise to Sandfall. “I was strongly believing that we would have an enjoyable experience that would meet reasonable commercial success,” the COO and producer commented.

Another leading developer noted the game's review aggregate, which currently sits at 93, came as the greatest surprise” to the team compared to “our initial expectations and what the reality turned out to be. Once it was published everybody in the studio celebrated excitedly. It was really frantic.”

This triumph has led to the studio creating new free content for the title with a new environment, foes, along with challenging bosses, as announced will release within the “upcoming month[s]”.

However, as the title expands, it's unlikely the studio to grow. “We have a great team with a strong creative director who has a great vision for the project and future concepts. We intend to preserve the close-knit size that worked for this game and perhaps create one big game after another,” they said.

The studio's scale generated plenty of debate when the game came out. A few well-known creators, such as the famed director, considered Sandfall’s team as the model for creative teams. Despite being relatively lean compared to its AAA counterparts, checking the title's staff list shows that many individuals were involved; Sandfall contracted a Korean team handling movement and effects, for example.

“Some hiring will occur slightly more definitely when facing an increase in development in the coming years,” the executive stated. “However, I envision rather a creative atelier comprising a handful really talented people that can make a work of art together.” They emphasized that the studio's philosophy as developers “is more to maintain the successful elements that made this achievement possible in the first place.”

Although it's too early for Sandfall to reveal exact details what’s next — believe me, I attempted to learn more — the team does know what’s at its core. “Strategic combat, forms the foundation of what we built,” they said. “The timing isn't right to announce future passions, however, it's crucial to adhere to our creative core with [a] strong narrative universe and engaging mechanics that drives our passion.”

The developer mentioned how this game began with the creative director “work[ing] on his dream game. It is hoped that philosophy we can continue in coming projects.”