Twice the Effort: How a Rookie RPG Team Achieved the Impossible

In a landscape full of titans and tiny teams, standing out as a first-time RPG developer feels a bit like trying to win a cooking contest with only a spork and some questionable vegetables. Yet, Sandfall’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has managed to make waves not only with its style, but also with its ongoing debate: is it truly indie?

When Is Indie…Not Indie?

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has earned widespread praise, including recognition as an indie game.
• This status, however, has drawn some criticism. Why? Largely because Sandfall, the studio behind the game, received substantial support and resources many think are unusual for “indie” development.
• Yet, Sandfall stands firm. “We feel like we are an independent company,” says Nicholas Maxson-Francombe, the game’s art director. He admits, “We get a lot of support from Kepler, a lot more than other indie games get,” and even concedes that perhaps other games have earned that badge the hard way. “But at heart, we’re indie.”

Support With Independence – The Kepler Question

• Kepler Interactive, Sandfall’s publisher, isn’t your typical behemoth, but it’s certainly not a garage startup either. With successful titles like Scorn and Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, Kepler had the muscle to give Expedition 33 a little extra lift—particularly in the PR department.
• Despite this, Sandfall insists the relationship was based on understanding and creative liberty. Producer Francois Meurisse notes, “We created the game with an indie spirit, with a small team, with great creative liberty and no parent company or even the publisher giving us orders.”
• The publisher-pick, according to Meurisse, was intentional: “We also chose a publisher that has a really indie mindset, that puts the creative first.”

The Indie Awards Arena: Who Belongs?

Sandfall isn’t just content to defend its position; it’s proud to compete alongside other indie standouts. The studio finds itself up for Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie Game, with company as diverse as Blue Prince, Dispatch, and Hollow Knight: Silksong. These competitors range from game development veterans to daring solo devs. It’s a group where backgrounds run the gamut and definitions blur.

The term “indie” seems to bend and twist with each new contender. After all, one-person projects are vying against teams backed by well-oiled publishers. Sandfall doesn’t pretend there’s a perfect way to draw lines, but they’re content to be part of a thriving, if loosely defined, community.

Impossibility, Spirit, and a Touch of Madness

• Maybe it’s more productive to appreciate that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 exists at all. The boundaries of indie might be a moving target, but what’s certain is the passion invested by its creators.
• A shining example of the game’s challenging spirit: the director openly praised a particularly determined RPG player—described with a wink as a “sicko”—for beating the game’s most infamous boss by absorbing every hit, no tricks, no shortcuts. The twist? Even the director couldn’t pull it off before launch.

If you ever needed proof that the rookie team behind Clair Obscur has achieved something remarkable, just look at the feats their brutal RPG inspires. The debates may rage on about what truly qualifies as indie, but perhaps the simplest takeaway is worth holding onto: Sandfall’s “indie spirit” fuelled an unforgettable adventure, and the conversation about what that means for the future of gaming is one we’re lucky to have.