Noah Romsdal Hallundbæk Sørensen
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has shattered expectations by setting a new Xbox Game Pass record.
A major milestone has landed for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which has surged past every other new third-party title on Xbox Game Pass this year.
The turn-based adventure from French developer Sandfall Interactive has now claimed the platform’s biggest third-party day-one launch of 2025.
Microsoft revealed the achievement after reviewing user data from all titles that debuted on the service this year, measuring each by the number of unique players within their first month of release.
Record-setting debut
The result marks a breakthrough moment for Sandfall Interactive, whose debut game managed to climb above crowded competition.
According to Microsoft, the game launched only two days after Bethesda released The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, which also arrived through Game Pass, yet still managed to secure the top spot.
Despite appearing on the subscription service, the RPG also sold strongly on its own.
Reporting from Microsoft noted that the game moved 5 million copies within its first five months, suggesting that availability on Game Pass did not hamper commercial momentum.
Studio reaction
Sandfall’s creative director Guillaume Broche credited the platform for helping the team reach a wide audience.
“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 said.
Broche added that Game Pass allowed hesitant players to discover the world of Lumière at little risk. “Xbox Game Pass let ‘a lot of people try our game when maybe they might not have before,’” he explained, noting that turn-based titles can sometimes deter players who prefer real-time action.
Beating a packed lineup
The crowded release calendar makes the game’s performance notable.
This year’s catalogue of new third-party launches on Game Pass included the long-awaited Hollow Knight: Silksong, the survival adventure Atomfall, and indie hit Blue Prince.
Other day-one arrivals included Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, Ball X Pit, and PowerWash Simulator 2.
Microsoft stressed that the comparison excludes first-party releases such as Avowed, South by Midnight, The Outer Worlds 2, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, which fall under the company’s own publishing umbrella.
Awards momentum
With The Game Awards approaching and the title already securing a record number of nominations, industry attention around Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 continues to grow.
The game remains available on Xbox Game Pass for players considering a late-year dive into one of 2025’s biggest breakout hits.
Sources: Microsoft, IGN Nordic
