It’s my feeling that we live in a meaningless and random universe, at the whim of scattershot physical forces so varied we might as well not try to predict anything—but occasionally, some trick of mathematics forces me to consider whether I’m actually in a simulation, painting, or videogame. Such as the absolute mind-melter that is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s recent sales figures.
As explained on the game’s official X account: “33 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.”
Just to reiterate—a game called Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, made by a team of almost 33 people, on its 33-day anniversary, sold 33 hundred thousand copies. There’s some sort of geometric math sorcery going on here, or something. I can think of no other explanation.
“Another entry on the long list of surreal moments that your support has made real,” the post continues. “Thank you ALL. Tomorrow comes.” As if to drive the point home further—or to complete some dark occult ritual, it’s anybody’s guess—the account posted this celebration at 3:03 PM.
Dark magic or no, Sandfall certainly deserves both the praise and the sales figures. Clair Obscur is a tightly-written and paced adventure made by a studio and director with a clear, enduring love for RPGs of all stripes.
It’s also a fitting cherry on top of a sundae of successes for Sandfall. Despite coming out under the all-consuming shadow of Oblivion Remastered, Expedition 33 struck out to the tune of one million sales in three days, managing to outpace JRPGs from other, more storied studios on Steam. Given the critical acclaim that’s ensued, it’s one hell of a debut.
I haven’t really come back to it after my 67 hours of pure, unfiltered absorption—but I’ve certainly been given a bag of very fond memories to carry on with, and you know I’m still listening to that soundtrack, which is sticking with me long after.
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