There's no doubt that the 2025 sleeper RPG hit Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of many contenders for Game of the Year in December, but director Guillaume Broche insists the prestigious award was never the goal for developer Sandfall Interactive.
Talking to PCGN, Broche explained why Sandfall already feels like Clair Obscur has been a greater success than it could've possibly hoped for.
"[GOTY] isn't something we really aim for; it should just be a consequence of making a good game, not really the goal," Broche said. "Our philosophy is that we've already achieved so much more than we wanted to achieve. We've received so many beautiful messages from players around the world saying that the game changed their lives and helped them through tough times. There's so much love, and we are, in exchange, so grateful.
"What we are creating games for, at least on my side, is to produce some real emotional resonance with people. [Expedition 33] was already a win because we've achieved this, so the award would be a nice little bonus. That being said, there are so many good games this year that it's fine if we don't get it - it's perfectly okay and we'll be happy anyway."
Broche is absolutely on the money here. 2025 has been yet another banger of a year in terms of video game releases, with Clair Obscur competing alongside the likes of Donkey Kong Bananza, Split Fiction, Death Stranding 2, Hades 2, Silent Hill f, Ghost of Yotei, Monster Hunter Wilds, the list goes on. But Broche's (half-serious) pick for GOTY 2025 isn't any of those games... it's Megabonk.
"In terms of [personal picks], I don't know if it's a serious one, but I'm spending way too much time on Megabonk right now," Broche said, laughing. "It's my life. Help me!"
Hey, to each their own.
