‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’ Is Outselling Top JRPGs—And Bringing Turn-Based Combat Back
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is quickly becoming one of the biggest JRPG hits in recent years. The game, made by French studio Sandfall Interactive, has already sold over one million copies in just three days, even though it’s available on Xbox Game Pass.
According to Rhys Elliott from Alinea Analytics, the game sold 785,000 copies on Steam in its first week, more than twice as many as other popular JRPGs like Metaphor: ReFantazio. “The announcement didn’t say players reached – it said copies sold. That was a choice, and I applaud the transparency,” Elliott said.
The game also sold over 350,000 copies on PlayStation, and it has more than 1.5 million wishlists on Steam, showing strong future interest.
So, what makes Expedition 33 so successful?
“The game is fantastic,” Elliott explained. “It combines stunning visuals with a rewarding turn-based combat system that melds the Superstar Saga timed JRPG combat with some Sekiro-style parries. It also has an affecting story and believable writing – as well as loveable protagonists and love-to-hateable antagonists with an all-star voiceover cast.”
A lower price helped too, staying under $50, while other AAA games are hitting $70–$80.
The game also stands out for being a turn-based JRPG with realistic graphics, something fans have been wanting for years. Elliott said, “Expedition 33 has given RPG fans something they always wanted… If you asked Final Fantasy fans from the late ’90s/early ’00s what the ideal version of a JRPG should look like, it’d be something like this.“
Even though games like Final Fantasy 16 moved to real-time action, fans are still hungry for classic turn-based battles. Expedition 33 fills that gap perfectly.
Launching on Game Pass helped too. While it may reduce Xbox sales, Elliott said it creates buzz that boosts sales on other platforms.
“Inclusion on Game Pass will always cannibalise premium game sales on Xbox itself, but inclusion can – and does – snowball into word of mouth that increases sales off-platform.”
Despite launching close to the popular Oblivion remaster, Expedition 33 is holding strong. In fact, it’s even passed Oblivion on Steam’s global sales charts.
Elliott summed it up best: “Who said turn-based combat was dead? The realistic-JRPG ideation floodgates probably just opened.“
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