Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 not only proved a massive sales hit but also secured the title of the biggest new third-party launch on Xbox Game Pass in 2025. This achievement is particularly noteworthy, considering its debut occurred just two days after the highly anticipated release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the turn-based RPG that's been turning heads (and taking names), has officially snagged the crown for the biggest new third-party game launch on Xbox Game Pass this year. And honestly? It's a well-deserved win for Sandfall Interactive's debut title.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 not only proved a mass...

Microsoft crunched the numbers, digging into data from all the day-one Xbox Game Pass releases of 2025. They ranked third-party titles based on unique users within the first 30 days of availability, and Clair Obscur came out on top. Pretty impressive, right?

What makes this achievement particularly noteworthy is the timing. Clair Obscur launched just two days after the highly anticipated release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, which *also* hit Game Pass. You'd think that a remastered classic like Oblivion would overshadow pretty much anything else, but Clair Obscur managed to hold its own and then some. Plus, the game isn't just relying on Game Pass success. I've heard rumblings that it's selling like hotcakes, with reports suggesting it moved 5 million copies in its first five months. That kind of success is almost unheard of these days, especially with a simultaneous Game Pass release.

"From announcing our game back in Summer 2024 to the Developer_Direct video in January, Xbox helped us get the word out there and reach a lot of players," said Sandfall creative director Guillaume Broche. It sounds like Microsoft's promotional efforts definitely paid off.

Broche also highlighted the power of Game Pass in lowering the barrier to entry for players who might be hesitant to dive into a turn-based RPG. "A lot of people [got to] try our game when maybe they might not have before," he explained. He nailed it. Sometimes, you just need a low-risk opportunity to try something new. Personally, I've discovered some of my favorite indie gems thanks to Game Pass's diverse library. It lets you experiment without breaking the bank.

Of course, Clair Obscur wasn't the only notable third-party day-one release on Game Pass this year. We also saw the arrival of highly anticipated titles like Hollow Knight: Silksong (finally!), the gritty post-apocalyptic survival game Atomfall, and the charming indie puzzle game Blue Prince. Not to mention the welcome additions of classics like Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, and the quirky fun of PowerWash Simulator 2. It's been a great year for Game Pass subscribers, that's for sure.

So, a big congratulations to Sandfall Interactive and the team behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33! With its record-breaking number of nominations at The Game Awards this month, this is definitely a title we'll be hearing more about. And for those curious, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is still available on Xbox Game Pass. Go give it a shot – you might just discover your next favorite game.