Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s record-breaking efficiency eventually week’s The Recreation Awards has caught the attention of French president Emmanuel Macron, who celebrated the information of its Recreation of the 12 months award on Instagram over the weekend.
Sandfall Interactive’s role-playing sport swept The Recreation Awards 2025 with 9 wins, essentially the most any online game has received in a single The Recreation Awards present. In addition to Recreation of the 12 months, Clair Obscur received finest narrative, finest music, and finest efficiency, keeping off competitors from Loss of life Stranding 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, Hole Knight: Silksong, Hades 2, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 to say the highest prize. Make sure to take a look at every thing introduced at The Recreation Awards 2025 for extra, in addition to the winners checklist in full.
“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has simply been named Recreation of the 12 months in Los Angeles. A historic first for a French title!” Macron exclaimed in French, appending a picture of Gustave, Maelle, and Sciel. “Nice pleasure for Montpellier and for France. Congratulations to the Sandfall Interactive crew. For future generations and people who comply with!”
In fact, this is not the primary time Sandfall Interactive has obtained public backing from the French president — when the RPG bought 1 million copies in simply three days, Macron additionally took to Instagram to say: “1,000,000 copies and thus far, one of many best-rated video games in historical past: and sure, it is French! Congratulations to Sandfall Interactive and all of the creators of Expedition 33. You’re a shining instance of French audacity and creativity.”
Whereas many commenters shared the President’s pleasure, some selected to remind him of the feedback he made throughout France’s 2023 riots through which he steered younger individuals had been poisoned or intoxicated by online game violence and social media.
He later downplayed the feedback, claiming he had “at all times thought of that video video games are a chance for France, for our youth, and their future, for our jobs and our financial system,” and careworn that he “expressed considerations on the finish of June as a result of online game conventions had been utilized by criminals to normalize violence on social media,” including: “It’s this violence that I condemn, not video video games themselves.”
Accepting the Recreation of the 12 months award to rapturous applause, Clair Obscur director Guillaume Broche thanked the “unimaginable crew” at Sandfall Interactive, most of whom have been in attendance and in costume. Broche prolonged his due to the “unsung heroes” of the online game business, “the individuals who make tutorials on YouTube on tips on how to make a sport, as a result of we had no concept tips on how to make a sport earlier than.”
Clair Obscur launched in April proper up in opposition to Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, with each video games hitting Recreation Go as day one releases. It was felt that Clair Obscur may wrestle beneath these circumstances, nevertheless it loved instantaneous and important recognition, and would go on to promote 5 million copies by October.
IGN’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 evaluate returned a 9/10. We stated: “Sporting its inspirations on its sleeve, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 paints itself into the pantheon of nice RPGs with an excellent fight system and a gripping, harrowing story.”
Whereas accepting the Recreation of the 12 months award, Sandfall shadow-dropped new DLC and Patch 1.5.0, which introduces new location Verso’s Drafts and a few actually difficult boss fights. Are You Beginning Clair Obscur: Expedition 33? This is a Helpful Information for Rookies.
Photograph by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP through Getty Photos.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, in addition to a critic, columnist, and guide with 15+ years expertise working with a number of the world’s largest gaming websites and publications. She’s additionally a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually Excessive Chaos. Discover her at BlueSky.
