Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 writer and Lune actor "did not expect anywhere close" to game's rampant success

One year ago, just before the launch of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, people were commiserating the game, as it was set to compete with (and probably lose to) Oblivion Remastered.

Tomorrow, Expedition 33 is up for 12 awards at the BAFTA Games Awards with Google Play, and neither leader writer Jennifer Svedberg-Yen nor Lune actor Kirsty Rider can quite believe it.

"I did not expect anywhere close to what's happened, and I still don't fully understand what's happening in a way," Svedberg-Yen told Radio Times Gaming. "It's been crazy. It's been a crazy year."

On the game's success, Rider credits a perfect storm of sorts, with Expedition 33 arriving at the right time.

"With any project, it going out and being this massive, there's such an alchemy of different ingredients that mean that that will happen.

"Like, where are we in the climate right now? Do people have an appetite for this kind of game or film or whatever? And also, yeah, there's just a lot of ingredients to get right.

"So, I think that kind of thing, you can never predict. It's just like all of the right things hit at the right time."

Svedberg-Yen continued, explaining why the game resonated so deeply with players: "It makes me really happy, because I feel that the fans have embraced so many different parts of the game, and there's something for everyone.

"You know, some fans love the music – the music's amazing. They love the art, they love the acting," she says, gesturing towards Rider, who hit back with "the writing" too.

"The gameplay is so addicting," Svedberg-Yen continued, "so, I think that's also been really wonderful to see how people have embraced all the different parts of the game."

Expedition 33 released to rave reviews from critics and players alike, and has gone on to rack up plenty of Game of the Year awards in the process, including a clean sweep at the Golden Joysticks.

Developer Sandfall Interactive will be hoping to take home some more awards this weekend, with Svedberg-Yen and Rider nominated for best narrative and best performer in a supporting role respectively.

The BAFTA Games Awards take place on 17 April 2026 in London.

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