The game continues to defy expectations with its rapid rise in sales, despite being an indie title launching alongside major competition.
It’s pretty clear that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been making waves in the gaming community all month, having sold 1 million copies in just three days. And on Wednesday (28 May), the highly acclaimed, turn-based RPG has hit another milestone by fittingly selling 3.3 million copies in 33 days.
French independent devs took to social media to express their gratitude to all their supporters. Posting on the game’s official Bluesky account, the devs at Sandfall Interactive said, "Thirty-three days ago, we released Clair Obscur: Expedition 33."
"Since then, we’ve sold 3.3 million copies. Seriously. As of today. We couldn’t make that up,” they added.
The devs also said that the milestone was “Another entry on the long list of surreal moments that your support has made real.”
And while the milestone doesn’t seem too impressive at first glance, compared to other games, it has to be considered that the number only accounts for sales of individual units sold, and that many others are playing the game through the Microsoft Xbox Game Pass.
A triumph for the Indie space
In a press release reported by GamesRadar, publisher Kepler declared Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 “a commercial success” and “a feat for an independent production.”
The company went on to emphasise that the game was created by a compact development team of around 30 core members. On top of that, according to Kepler, some of these members were working on a video game project for the very first time.
The game launched on 24 April across PC and consoles, and also joined Xbox Game Pass as a day-one release. Despite entering the market alongside Bethesda’s heavyweight The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and being available via a subscription service, the title still managed to carve out a strong sales performance of its own.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was praised by GosuGamers for building its identity around a powerful central mystery. While the game boasts rich visuals and engaging combat, it's the enigma of the Paintress, who erases generations with a brushstroke, that drives the narrative. The game mirrors mystery-driven RPG classics like Final Fantasy VII and Disco Elysium, offering a layered journey that withholds answers to sustain tension. Its mystery-first approach sets it apart from other RPGs that rely more on exploration or combat.
