Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lead writer Jennifer Svedberg-Yen says that Sandfall Interactive wanted players to feel "complicit in the story" of the RPG, and immersed in that first big twist which lets fans "experience what grief feels like in this world."
It probably goes without saying, but this article contains big spoilers for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – proceed with caution, especially if you've not made it to the RPG's second act.
In an interview with GamesRadar+ at GDC 2026, Svedberg-Yen discusses that a "fundamental difference" between enjoying a story in a movie or TV series versus experiencing one via a game is the interactivity, namely since "we really want the player to be complicit in the decisions of the characters." For Clair Obscur specifically, from different dialog and combat choices throughout to the big decision over the ending of the RPG, "we are making the player complicit in the story."
As such, this also comes into play when it comes to the death of charming Act 1 protagonist Gustave, a plot twist which Svedberg-Yen says Sandfall decided on for "multiple reasons." She explains: "Thematically, for Gustave, it makes a lot of sense for his emotional arc. We have a nice bookend of when he first meets Renoir to when he last meets Renoir, and you can see his growth. And it's also a great catalyst for Maelle's personal journey."
But while his death works "structurally," the RPG's lead writer adds that "it's also so that the player can experience what grief feels like in this world." She refers to other stories as she notes that "a lot of times there's plot armor," where, despite the main character being in "a life and death situation," ultimately, "they're not actually at risk, right? Because they're the main character, they're not going to die."
That's certainly not the case in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, as Svedberg-Yen laughs: "Guess what? He's dead." As heartbreaking as it is to lose such a loveable character, however, this makes for an extremely impactful moment for the player.
"In this instance, we really wanted the player to feel that loss, and to really feel the words of 'for those who come after,' and 'when one falls, we continue,' because that is literally what we're asking the player to do," she reiterates. "When one falls – Gustave is gone. How do you continue?
"It's actually kind of cool to see how the players react to that loss, because now it is personal for them," she continues. "Not only are they losing the character, they're thinking about, 'OK, now combat-wise, what am I going to do?' So, now you also feel like what happens when you lose a member from your combat team, right? And so that was part of the way to help the player really feel immersed in the experience."
While it doesn't make the death hurt any less, it's fair to say that the team definitely achieved what it set out to do. But at what cost, Sandfall, at what cost?
