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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 isn't just a strong GOTY contender, but also a huge commercial success. Studio the development team and publisher Kepler Interactive disclosed that the game exceeded 5 million units sold, this is even with its status as a day-one release through the Game Pass service.

Its success came as an unexpected turn for the team. “I was strongly believing that we would have an enjoyable experience achieving moderate market performance,” a senior team member commented.

The CTO and lead programmer pointed out that Clair Obscur’s review aggregate, rated 93 by critics, came as the most surprising moment for everyone compared to what we anticipated and the actual outcome of the field was. Because when it dropped all staff members were cheering loudly. The energy was electric.”

That success prompted Sandfall developing a complimentary expansion for the title including novel settings, enemies, plus epic encounters, as announced will release within the “upcoming month[s]”.

Nevertheless, despite the game's evolution, fans shouldn't anticipate the studio to grow. “We have an excellent group with a strong creative director with a clear direction for our work and future concepts. We'd like to keep the small-team dynamic that made this possible and do maybe one big game after another,” the producer noted.

Their team size drummed up significant conversation when the game came out. A few well-known creators, such as the famed director, considered Sandfall’s team as the “ideal” for a studio. Although the team is and was relatively lean next to major studios, checking the title's staff list reveals dozens of people worked on it; Sandfall contracted a Korean team for animation work, to illustrate.

“We will hire slightly more for sure should there be a future production surge in the coming years,” they said. “Yet I picture more of a workshop of a few exceptionally gifted creators that can make collective masterpieces.” He noted that the studio's philosophy as a studio “aims to keep the strengths that enabled this success originally.”

Although it's premature for the studio to disclose concrete plans about future projects — rest assured, efforts were made — they are certain their fundamental principles. “Strategic combat, I think it's in the DNA of what we built,” the lead programmer said. “The timing isn't right to be able to tell future passions, but it's important also to remain faithful to our studio's essence with [a] strong narrative universe and the interesting gameplay that inspires the team.”

The lead programmer mentioned that the project began with the creative director pursuing his ideal project. It is hoped this approach will be repeated as well for future productions.”