Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was 2025's biggest third-party launch for Xbox

Expedition 33 was huge. David Flynn and I both loved it (and you can check our bookmarked review below to ensure I'm telling the truth). It should come to no surprised that the platform that hosted it via Game Pass also got a lot of love, with Expedition 33 being the biggest third-party launch on Xbox in 2025. Check out those details below!

Fresh from sweeping the Golden Joysticks and poised to do the same at The Game Awards, Sandfall Interactive’s phenomenal debut RPG is one of the most buzzed-about releases of the year, so it should surprise no one when we announce that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the biggest new third-party game launch on Xbox Game Pass of 2025. That’s based on the number of unique users in the first 30 days of its availability, which means a huge number of Xbox players joined Maelle, Gustave, Esquie, and the gang on their journey right from the beginning.

Sandfall Interactive creative director Guillaume Broche told us how grateful he is for all that love: “This year has been so far beyond what any of us could have imagined, and it’s down to how passionate and supportive our fans have been to make that a reality. It’s really nerve-wracking to be a new studio releasing our first game, but the support of everyone has really made everything feel like a dream.”

ID@Xbox Director Guy Richards explained why Expedition 33 stood out early on as a game the team wanted to put weight behind: “From the start, Sandfall’s ambition was clear and we really felt they wanted to create something truly special, something beyond expectations for the team. Once we played early builds, we experienced their gripping story, stunning visuals and the mix of JRPG mechanics with French cultural themes that felt fresh and distinctive. It’s the kind of experience we knew Xbox players would love to discover.”

For Broche, that support from Xbox was instrumental in helping the game make as big a splash as it has. “From being there to announce our game back in Summer 2024, to coming to the studio for the Developer_Direct video in January, Xbox helped us get the word out there and reach a lot of players.”

He also noted how Game Pass allowed them to reach a much wider audience, “letting a lot of people try our game when maybe they might not have before. The turn-based RPG genre has a lot of fans but sometimes it might put people who prefer more real-time action games off, but Game Pass lowered that barrier of entry. They could just try it and see how it feels. So a lot of curious players could start the game, explore Lumière and the early game, and realize there’s a lot to enjoy here, even if they weren’t expecting it at first.”

Set in a whimsical fantasia that belies dark secrets, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 follows the eponymous Expedition on a doomed mission to save their city from the mysterious Paintress, a godlike being that has obliterated the city’s eldest cohort every single year for decades following a cataclysm that rent the world asunder. It has captured hearts and minds all over the world for both its memorable characters and story as well as for its thrilling, savvy evolution of classic turn-based RPG battles.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a prime example of the innovative and diverse range of experiences that Xbox Game Pass was created to support, helping developers of all sizes reach a huge global audience while bringing unparalleled value to our players. Xbox is proud to have supported Sandfall in sharing this excellent game with the world, and we look forward to bringing many more exciting titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on day one.

If you haven’t yet joined the Expedition, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud. It’s an Xbox Play Anywhere title and available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

For those who come after!

Stay tuned to GamingTrend for more Xbox and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 news and info!

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