Expedition 33 reveals its biggest update, with more "crazy projects" incoming

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is my personal game of the year so far. Sure, Bloodlines 2 is just around the corner and, as a VTM enthusiast, I'll probably enjoy it, but it's hard to find games that are truly remarkable. With its forward-thinking spin on turn-based action and its masterfully crafted setting that seamlessly entwines dark fantasy with Sandfall's French roots, there's nothing else quite like Expedition 33. Its story is powerful, brought to life by an all-star cast; its world is haunting and merciless, yet there are flashes of hope. From start to finish, Expedition 33 is a masterpiece, and it's further proof that a small studio with a razor-sharp vision, when left to its own devices, can create something truly magical.

But our foray into Sandfall's warped, twisted France isn't over quite yet. Lumiere calls, and I'll answer. To celebrate the colossal milestone of five million copies sold worldwide, the update, which CEO and creative director Guillaume Broche tells me is a "thank you to all of our players," adds a new region to the map, even more boss fights, some fresh looks, and "even more surprises."

I caught up with Broche and COO and producer Francois Meurisse to chat about what comes next for Expedition 33. So far, we know that there's a movie adaptation in the works, as well as a concert tour that, unfortunately, doesn't have a Glasgow date yet (hint hint, wink wink). But there's also talk of a Clair "universe." A 'Clairiverse' or 'Obscuriverse,' if you will. I ask the duo what that looks like in the wake of the RPG's success.

"Expedition 33 is just one of the stories that we want to tell in the Clair Obscur universe," Broche says. "We're still working on Expedition 33 and improving the game on our side, and there will be some new content [the aforementioned update] in the coming months as a thank you update to our players. We are genuinely super grateful and in such a comfortable position now with the studio, so we want to give back a little.

"We are starting to think and work on the next real game, which is super exciting, and we have a lot of very good ideas." While he can't tell me much more, he does say that "we don't plan to grow the studio too much; we want to remain very small and agile with a strong creative vision and a game that feels very unique and artsy. We want to keep that: that's our DNA, and that's how we work.

"We want to make stories like an art house, making crazy projects because we want to make them, and that's the philosophy we want to stick by - especially now because we have so much attention and so much love from the players. We really don't want to betray that and just do stupid stuff. We know now how to make games that are good with a smaller team and a really strong vision, and that's what we want to do again."

Sandfall hasn't confirmed the launch date for its Expedition 33 "thank you" update, but Broche does say it'll land "in the coming months," so hopefully we won't be waiting too long. I personally would love to see a Game Awards shadow drop, because, let's be real, we all love surprises.

In the meantime, we have a full rundown of all the best Expedition 33 builds if you're struggling to take down Simon, as well as a guide to all the best Expedition 33 weapons to ensure you're dishing out some nasty damage.

Are you excited for Expedition 33's new update? Let us know on Discord, and tell us what you want to see. I, for one, just want a standalone Esquie game. Esquiedition 33?