The Montpellier City Hall hosts an exhibition on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Artwork de Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 avec la Tour Eiffel tordue

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Oct 5, 20263 min read

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a role-playing game developed by Sandfall Interactive, a studio based in Montpellier. A true gem of the genre revealed last year, the title has won several awards, including the 2025 GOTY, or Game of the Year award. Praised for its artistic direction, the game is honored this year with the setup of a unique exhibition event in Montpellier itself. Visit the City Hall to enjoy "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. La toile aux rêves" between October 6 and November 6, 2026.

The pride of Montpellier

Back in 2020. That year, three talented individuals decided to start a new studio in Montpellier. The trio consisted of Tom Guillermin, a former Ubisoft employee who worked on Ghost Recon Wildlands and The Division 2, François Meurisse, an actor and producer, and Guillaume Broche, another former Ubisoft employee who worked on Ghost Recon Breakpoint and Might & Magic Heroes VII. These three individuals formed a team of about thirty people, not counting external contributors. For five years, the studio worked on an entirely new role-playing game with a clear intention to shake up the genre's codes.

In the era of action-RPG games, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 takes a different approach. The title is a turn-based role-playing game inspired by the great names of the genre. However, the development team did not want the gameplay to be stuck in past formulas. They worked on a game mechanic to energize the gameplay. They integrated QTEs (Quick Time Events) to maintain the intensity of the battles. At any moment, players must interact, whether to parry, counter, or target enemy weaknesses. The result is highly successful as the game has captured the hearts of many players and garnered numerous awards.

Best independent game of 2025, best storyline, best artistic direction, best RPG, the title is a resounding success that is also reflected in sales, with over 8 million copies sold worldwide. The success is also due to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 offering a high-level visual and auditory experience. With the masterful use of Unreal Engine 5 and the beauty of the artistic direction highlighting France of the Belle Époque, Sandfall Interactive has managed to offer a memorable, if not unforgettable, experience. Naturally, this success resonates in the city of Montpellier, for which the game represents a real pride. This will be showcased in the coming weeks with the setup of a unique exhibition.

The beauty exposed to everyone

Montpellier is a metropolis known in the field of Cultural and Creative Industries. It is therefore not surprising to see that Sandfall Interactive set up there in 2020. It took time to craft this masterpiece that is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but the wait was worth it. At the end of this year, Michaël Delafosse, the Mayor of Montpellier, who is also President of Montpellier Méditerranée Metropole, and Christian Assaf, Vice-president of Montpellier Méditerranée and delegate for Economic Development, jointly present with the development studio, "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. La toile aux rêves".

This is an event exhibition that will be held between October 6 and November 6, 2026, on the ground floor of the Montpellier City Hall. The public will be able to immerse themselves in the game's universe, and this for free. From a practical point of view, we invite you to note that the exhibition will be accessible from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The opening hours will be different on Thursdays as the reception will be from 10 am to 7 pm.

As a bonus, people who visit the site will be able to fill out a participation form to try to win a signed copy of the game's official artbook signed by Marine Macq and published by Pix'n Love. If you live in Montpellier or nearby, you have a good month to enjoy this exhibition highlighting Lumière, the fictional city developed in the game, which is inspired by Paris. The presence of the Eiffel Tower easily betrays this inspiration.