Smash-hit RPG Clair Obscur Expedition 33 has made a lot of waves this year, primarily for its enchanting story, mesmerizing style, and flowing, punchy combat. But there's also been a lot of talk around the size of developer Sandfall Interactive, which boasts a relatively small headcount compared to big, triple-A studios. In the wake of such a broadly positive reception, you might expect that team to expand, but Sandfall's co-founder and Expedition 33's lead programmer says he thinks it's exactly where it needs to be.
During the Summer Game Fest showcase, host Geoff Keighley hailed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as a "monumental achievement" from "a team of under 30 developers." While the core Sandfall team is certainly around that number, it's important to stress that the full credits also list many additional key contributors across multiple studios. Voice actors, animators, musicians, performance capture, playtesters, QA; the list goes on. Making one of the best RPGs at such a high level of polish takes time and a lot of hands. As for the team at Sandfall, however, it seems content at its current size.
Speaking to Automaton Japan, creative director Guillaume Broche and lead programmer Tom Guillermin discuss the studio's size and what the future looks like in the wake of its recent success. Broche gives a small sample of the core team's makeup: "We had five people working on environments, two on the story. I think around three to six people worked on the cinematics. The music was done by four people."
Broche explains that Sandfall held "over 200 interviews" to build its roster, focusing on young, talented people that had "fighting spirit" rather than long-time industry veterans. "At the time, our VVFX artist and character designer had just both graduated from college, and this game was their first job ever."
Their relatively light experience worked in Expedition 33's favor, however: "They didn't have many existing notions of what work was supposed to be like," Broche continues, "which I think was a good thing, because they managed to adapt to our peculiar work style."
Despite the huge popularity of Expedition 33, or perhaps in part because of it, its lead programmer says the studio doesn't need to expand for its next project. "I think that, for now, I'd prefer working as a small team," Guillermin remarks. "I'm not sure how big 'an ideal team' would be, but when it comes to making a full-priced turn-based RPG, I believe that the team we have now is just the right size."
As thanks for the game's success, Sandfall recently made an album from the game's glorious soundtrack available free on Steam. The studio is also working on "a wide range of future improvements," including accessibility features and possible new content, with some of these rolling out earlier this week in a new update.
Wrapped up your time in Lumière and looking for your next trip? Here are the best story games to whisk you away. Or, if you're still battling through Sandfall's fantasy world, we've got the best Clair Obscur Expedition 33 builds to see you right.
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