The creators of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 spent less than $10 million developing the game
The French studio Sandfall Interactive mentioned this amount in an interview with The New York Times.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The developers admitted they wanted to prove that small teams are also capable of creating "prestigious" games without spending hundreds of millions of dollars. They managed to save money by foregoing a fully open world in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, opting instead for classic solutions: corridor locations and arena battles.
Sandfall Interactive also shared that venture capital companies were initially reluctant to provide funding. Investors were more interested in trendy topics like the metaverse, so the developers first pitched the game to friends and family. Over time, however, the creators of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 secured investments from "business angels" and several grants, including a $50,000 grant from Epic Games.
Though the interview does not specify, it is likely that the $10 million figure does not account for marketing expenses of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, nor the overall costs borne by the game's publishing company, Kepler Interactive. Previously, Sandfall Interactive mentioned that Kepler Interactive covered the expenses of hiring Hollywood actors, so their fees were not included in the production budget.
The release of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 took place on April 24, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series. As of early October, its sales exceeded 5 million copies.