Trending
Sandfall Interactive has provided some answers about several questions fans have had regarding Clair Obscur Expedition 33, from its post-launch plans to difficulty design and the studio’s approach to generative AI.
The Q&A was conducted via a private creator session organized by publisher Kepler Interactive and is shared by YouTube channel Sushi. Players have had many questions for the studio since launch, which have only multiplied since the release of the free DLC update last week.
They used the opportunity to explain some of their design choices, respond to some player feedback, and share their stance on bigger industry controversies.
Why the free DLC exists and what it represents
First, Sandfall Interactive confirms that this free DLC is not intended to be a full expansion, but a more open-ended playground for their own creativity.
Art director Nicholas Maxson-Francombe started by explaining that the DLC’s original concept is built around Verso’s childhood, which allowed the team to embrace a much more childish and colorful tone.
This then unlocked the potential for:
- a brighter and more saturated art style
- more deliberately childish puzzles
- moods, themes, and music very different from the main story
Extreme difficulty and why one boss was nerfed
The team then responds to questions about their game’s extreme difficulty settings. Founder Guillaume Broche confirms that the game’s hardest boss was nerfed in the last hotfix, but reiterates that it was on purpose.
Broche explains that this is a very specific kind of content they always wanted to include for Clair Obscur 33, with a kind of difficulty meant to push players who had already fully leveled up their characters and wanted a challenge.
This includes:
- late-game builds that trivialize standard encounters
- players who want to push themselves against unreasonable odds
- an optional difficulty that lets players experience frustration without blocking progression
Sandfall’s stance on generative AI
The company also confirmed some details on their (non)use of generative AI in their game, in response to rumors.Broche directly confirms that while the team has indeed experimented with generative AI tools at the very beginning of development, they were very quickly discarded.
The key points from Sandfall’s take on generative AI:
- all assets used in the final game were created by humans
- these AI tools were incompatible with the studio’s values
- the process of using them just felt “wrong” creatively
This includes art assets, writing, and performances, and the studio is very clear about their focus on handcrafted work in this regard.
What comes next for Sandfall Interactive
Finally, in terms of future plans, Sandfall Interactive seems purposefully vague. They have not announced any future games or DLC, and do not seem to be in a rush.
Broche did state that they:
- do not have any desire to grow too big
- value creative focus over size
- want to keep prioritizing art, characters, and storytelling
In short, they seem fine polishing their identity rather than scaling.
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 released on April 24, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, and is available on Xbox Game Pass from day one.
DON'T MISS:
