Clair Obscur Producer on 'Intense, Brief' Game Experience

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has generated significant buzz within the gaming community. One of its standout features, as highlighted in a recent interview, is the game's focused scope compared to many contemporary major releases.

In a discussion with GamesIndustry.biz, leaders from Kepler Interactive—publisher for Sandfall Interactive, the studio behind Clair Obscur—discussed Expedition 33's achievements and its industry impact. The game distinguishes itself from typical AAA titles in several ways, with Kepler's portfolio director Matthew Handrahan pointing to its playtime as a key differentiator.

"Brevity should be more valued in gaming," Handrahan noted. "A shorter experience can often be a better one—this is something currently being debated in film as well. Every movie seems to run for two and a half hours, and I believe many viewers are thinking, 'Could they please be a bit shorter? We have other commitments in our lives.'"

Sandfall's COO and producer François Meurisse told GI.biz that the team always intended Clair Obscur to deliver a compact, impactful experience.

"Our initial estimates placed the main quest at around 20 hours," Meurisse recalled. "We ended up closer to 30 hours, or even 40 for players who explore additional content. As a player myself, there are so many outstanding games vying for my attention. What matters most is the excitement and enjoyment a game provides, not its duration."

According to HowLongToBeat, completing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's main story takes approximately 27 hours, with Main + Sides content extending to 41 hours, and a full completionist run averaging 61.5 hours. While longer than many indie titles, it remains considerably shorter than sprawling AAA games or other lengthy RPGs.

As Handrahan expressed, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 "genuinely respects the player's time." He emphasized that the game avoids any "sense of bloat or unnecessary content added purely to extend its length." Meurisse questioned whether a game's value is inherently tied to its playtime.

"The value players derive from a game isn't always proportional to its length," Meurisse stated. "For instance, one of my all-time favorite games is Inside—a roughly two-hour experience—yet it's exceptionally polished, intense, and even life-changing for some players."

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review - Screenshots

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In IGN's 9/10 review of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the reviewer also commended its pacing: "I completed the main story along with a fair amount of side content in about 35 hours. This duration reflects how Clair Obscur never wastes a moment—there's no filler in the critical path, and it avoids lengthy exposition drag."

Several factors differentiate Clair Obscur from conventional blockbuster games, signaling evolving trends in the industry. Further insights are available in the full GI.biz interview. Clair Obscur appears to have established a compelling model for ambitious games that prioritize substance over scale.