Launched with little pomp and big boldness, the RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 surpassed the mark of 2 million copies sold in just 12 days. The game, developed by the French studio Sandfall Interactive, is the newest successful bet of independent publisher Kepler Interactive. The details of the production and strategy behind this success were revealed in an exclusive interview granted to the Games Industry website.
With striking artistic direction and gameplay inspired by Japanese RPGs, the game stood out in a market saturated by large franchises and repeated formulas. More than a commercial success, the title has become a symbol of the rebirth of the so -called AA games, which combine creative ambition and lean production.
Reduced production and authorial focus define success of Sandfall
According to François Minharisse, Sandfall Interactive's producer and COO, the studio came from a clear proposal: creating an authorial game without being attached to commercial trends. He pointed out that the initial goal was just to develop a passionate project, rescuing the essence of 3D RPGs that marked previous generations.
The central team had about 30 people over the four years of development. Instead of climbing rapidly, the studio chose to grow with parsimony, calling external employees only in specific areas such as voice acting, location and animation. The choice of this model has allowed to maintain creative control and deliver a cohesive product.
Kepler bets on innovation and decentralized structure with Clair Obscu
Kepler Interactive acts as an independent studio network that shares administrative resources but maintains full creative freedom. According to Matthew Handrahan, the publisher's portfolio director, Kepler's role is to support studios where necessary, without interfering with the decisions of each team.
Thus, the strategy was effective. Since its foundation in 2021, the publisher has released copyright titles such as Sifu, Scorn and Tchia, all with strong visual identity and proposals outside the standard. Handrahan states that Kepler's differential is in avoiding fads and prioritizing games that offer new experiences to the public.
With Clair Obscu, the publisher started publishing studio games that are not part of its original structure. The expansion of the editorial line includes titles such as Pacific Drive and the newly named PVKK, by developer Bippinbits. The idea, he said, is that the audience recognizes a Kepler game even before seeing the logo.
AA returns to the radar and challenges the domain of blockbusters after Clair Obscu
Clair Obscu's reception placed the spotlight back in the AA Games, a term used to designate medium budget and high artistic ambition. Although the concept does not have exact borders, titles like Plague Tale and Hellblade were already signaling this trend. For myism, the market was lacking experiences with this profile.
Still, Sandfall's production team was the subject of questions about the actual number of involved. Criticism pointed out that credits include dozens of additional employees. Myrisse clarified that the creative core remained with about 30 professionals, and that the others acted on time, without compromising the proposal of a compact team.
For Handrahan, the most relevant discussion is the impact these productions can have. He compares the current moment with a time when large publishers released innovative and unaware titles, such as Mirror's Edge and Vanquish. Reducing this type of game made room for independent studios to resume the protagonism.
Expectations for Kepler's next production and future
With the consolidated success, Sandfall already plans its next project. Without disclosed details, my rise says that the now more experienced team intends to follow a light structure, but without giving up originality. The expectation is to maintain the same creative spirit, with a more efficient and ambitious process.
At Kepler, the goal is to expand the presence in the market by maintaining the focus on games that run away from the commonplace. Handrahan states that the secret is to balance innovation with sustainability. For him, following trends is a risk in a scenario where thousands of games arrive in digital stores every month.
Clair's success also reaffirms the value of an editorial model that respects the vision of the creators. Thus, as consultant Shuhei Yoshida pointed out, formerly, Kepler is an example of how the sector can invest in innovation without depending on large budgets or worn formulas.
