The French RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been a real hit since its release last April. The game has achieved incredible sales figures in the space of a month, and despite its success, Sandfall Interactive's title is at the center of a controversy: the game's creators are accused of racism. What happened? We're coming back to this affair, which also prompted the Montpellier studio to speak out through a press release.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a French game that's a hit
On April 24, the independent studio Sandfall Interactive, based in Montpellier, released its RPG entitled Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series, the game, whose universe is inspired by the French Belle Époque, invites players to dive into the City of Light where, each year, the Painteress, a supernatural entity, is responsible for the disappearance of people who reach the age she has inscribed on a monolith. Expedition 33 is then launched with a group of people with varied skills to overcome this curse.
Very quickly, the game, inspired by Japanese RPGs and with a French aesthetic, won over critics and players alike. Indeed, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 received an excellent critical reception with a score of 92/100 on Metacritic and 9.7/10 from players. In just 3 days after its launch, the title sold a million copies, then more than 2 million in 12 days and 3.3 million a month after its release. The craze is global and CO: E33 is considered one of the best RPGs of the year. So why is Sandfall Interactive studio finding itself in a controversy over racism?
Sandfall accused of racism reacts to the controversy
We have to turn to social networks where detractors of the game believe that the Montpellier studio's team is "too white" and lacks diversity. Furthermore, they denounce that the title takes place in a universe that offers a vision of France that is too old and does not show the different cultures of the country. Some also criticize it for promoting patriotism, a theme that would belong to the far right.
While some of the studio's supporters have denounced unfounded accusations, Sandfall Interactive was forced to speak out on its X account in an attempt to put an end to this controversy and clear things up.
The studio states that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 "was created with respect and tolerance by teams and partners from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives." He also emphasizes that the "game was crafted with love" and asks critics not to use it "as a weapon to spread hate."
We've noticed discussions online concerning us and our values, so we want to make this absolutely clear:
— Sandfall Interactive - CO:E33 out now! (@SandfallGames) June 5, 2025
Expedition 33 was created with respect and tolerance by teams and partners from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives.
Our game was crafted with love.
Please... pic.twitter.com/L7gumsu6J7
Despite this controversy, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a game that makes France proud. Moreover, we invite you to (re)discover these 5 French video games.
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