Summary
TheClair Obscur: Expedition 33director offered a piece of advice for developers in a recent interview, stating that “you have to make a game that you will like.” Although this is fairly well-known advice in any artistic medium, theClair Obscur: Expedition 33director also touched upon authenticity and teamwork as things that stem from being true to one’s vision—and how this ultimately impacted the game’s success.
Since it broke into the industry,Clair Obscur: Expedition 33has been remarkably successful, reaching an average review score of Overwhelmingly Positive on Steam and selling over 2 million copies in its first 12 days. This turn-based JRPG, developed by the French independent video game studio Sandfall Interactive, has hooked players in record time with its deep, captivating narrative and fun, engaging gameplay. The game is inspired by Belle Epoque France, presenting astonishing visuals and beautifully crafted landscapes. But beyond its visual appeal and narrative, the community has praisedClair Obscur’s combat system, which combines turn-based actions with real-time movements like dodging and parrying. Now, the game’s director has shared his “secret” to making games.
Speaking to Pirate Software, director Guillaume Broche talked aboutClair Obscur: Expedition 33’s massive successand shared some advice for developers, stating that those who make games should always think about what they would like to play, instead of focusing on what people would like. When it comes to making creative decisions, Broche admitted that if he doesn’t like a certain element, then “it doesn’t go in the game.” He emphasized that when a game “talks deeply to a player,” according to his vision, it won’t fail.
Clair Obscur Director Says Developers Should Make Games They Actually Want to Play
Broche also mentioned how important the sense of honesty and joy that the game radiates was toClair Obscur’s success, saying that authenticity is a key factor seen inmany other successful indie video games. But for him, this is only achievable if teams develop games they want to play, not what they think people will like.
Although Broche acknowledges the importance of being true to one’s vision, he also admitted that he feels lucky about “how all the stars aligned” for the game—and also that his personal tastes were “mainstream.” During the same interview, he explainedhow theClair Obscur: Expedition 33team came togetherin random ways and how lucky he was with the people who joined to work on the game—as many were juniors. AsClair Obscurcontinues captivating players, the game stands as a result of teamwork, authenticity, and, according to its director, a bit of luck.
