Clair Obscur Expedition 33 reaches 1 million copies sold

The RPG Clair Obscur Expedition 33 has achieved an impressive feat by selling over 1 million copies just three days after its release, publisher Kepler Interactive announced. Developer Sandfall Interactive's debut game had already attracted attention by selling 500,000 copies in its first 24 hours.

However, the success didn't stop at sales. According to SteamDB data, the title peaked at 121,422 concurrent players on the Steam platform, surpassing the records of genre giants like Atlus' Metaphor: ReFantazio, which peaked at 85,961 players.

Clair Obscur Expedition's Steam Performance Reflects Global Popularity

While the number is impressive, it's important to note that the survey only considers Steam. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was also released for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and strategically, it arrived directly on Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft's subscription service.

With its inclusion in Game Pass Ultimate, the actual launch player count could be significantly higher. This reinforces the perception that the RPG became a sensation among audiences in its first few days.

The partnership with Game Pass has even sparked discussions about the financial impact of releasing major releases on the service. Expedition 33's experience suggests, however, that visibility and reach offset any potential direct sales losses.

Game Pass's positive impact is championed by developers

John Buckley, community manager at PocketPair, used Clair Obscur's success to comment on the merits of integrating projects into Game Pass. According to him, such initiatives bring concrete benefits, both financially and in terms of game exposure.

Buckley, who also participated in the launch of Palworld via Game Pass, highlighted that for independent developers, the agreements signed with Microsoft have been extremely positive. While he declined to reveal specific details about the contracts, he stated that, in his experience, the results have always been satisfactory.

Buckley's statement came in response to criticism on social media questioning the economic viability of the model. He bluntly reinforced that, for small and medium-sized studios, the strategy remains a good business.

game Clair Obscur Expedition 33 — Photo: Disclosure/Sandfall Interactive

Clair Obscur consolidates its success and points to new horizons

The release of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 not only marks a milestone for Sandfall Interactive, but also signals the growing momentum of simultaneous releases on Game Pass. The game is part of the platform's second wave of April titles, further expanding its reach.

With a combination of solid sales and high player engagement, the game sets a new standard for RPG releases in today's market. If this momentum continues, Clair Obscur could become a major milestone in the genre by 2025.

Given the numbers and the warm reception, it's clear that Sandfall Interactive's project not only met expectations but also paved the way for new debates about game distribution through subscription models.