Following Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s rise to Game of the Year for 2025, Sandfall Interactive will not rush growth. Studio director Guillaume Broche says extra funds won’t push them to scale up fast. He believes creative limits spark ideas and help the team reach their best work. The plan is to keep the current setup to preserve the hands-on approach that earned praise.
A choice that favors craft over scale
Sandfall’s decision centers on one simple idea: making games beats running a big business. Broche says he and the core team love staying close to the craft. If the studio grows, leaders will spend more time on management tasks. That would pull them away from the work they relish. By staying small, they keep the focus on art, quality, and vision, not on big-company rules.
Eyes on the journey, not the size
The team believes keeping things small helps them move faster. Small teams can swap ideas quickly and test new approaches with less red tape. This speed and ease of change feeds the creative flow. The result is a steady stream of polished work, built with care rather than sheer scale.
Quality first, and a plan for the future
Broche describes the five years spent building Expedition 33 as some of the best moments of his career. He hopes the next project will share that same spark. The studio did face a hiccup when it was disqualified by the Indie Game Awards, thanks to how AI helped generate some parts of the game. Despite that, the team remains focused on delivering top-tier content. They recently released a major free update for Expedition 33 and are excited to start the next project with the same mindset that brought success.
This approach also keeps Sandfall aligned with its fans. The team values strong artistic aims and a refined experience over rapid turnover. They want to plant ideas slowly, letting them grow into something meaningful. The absence of pressure to grow fast is a feature, not a flaw, for a studio known for its distinctive style and thoughtful design.
What players can expect next from Sandfall
Fans can look forward to more careful work from Sandfall, not a burst of large releases. The studio plans to keep polishing its signature look and feel. Expect motion with a calm pace, where each new idea gets the time it needs to shine. The team will stay small, but work up to a larger quality that mirrors their early hits. Clarity in storytelling, careful pacing, and tight gameplay will stay at the core of every project. The aim is to deliver experiences that feel personal and memorable, not hurried.
The philosophy remains clear: celebrate craft over scale. The team will push for fresh ideas within a tight framework. Each project will be built with an eye toward lasting impact, not fast turnover. By keeping the team tight, Sandfall can keep its standards high and its art alive. This is the kind of studio path that turned Expedition 33 into a standout title and earned its praise from players and critics alike.
The choice to stay small does not mean a lack of ambition. It centers on shaping each game with deliberate care. Broche emphasizes that the magic lies in the process—handcrafting moments that stick with players long after the credits roll. In time, fans can expect more thoughtful worlds, vivid characters, and games that reward curiosity over volume.
As Sandfall charts its next steps, the players’ trust stays front and center. The team has shown it can turn a bold idea into a polished product without losing its soul. The result is a studio that feels intimate, even as it shapes games that reach a wider audience. That balance between art and access remains their clear north star.
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