2025 has been a busy year for Xbox Game Pass RPGs, with new releases ranging from Obsidian's Avowed to Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. While Game Pass numbers can be elusive, a lot of these games seemed like reasonable successes, with launches that generated their fair share of hype and discussion. One, however, has clearly risen above the rest.
Today, Xbox Wire announced that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was "the biggest new third-party game launch on Xbox Game Pass of 2025." While the wording means that one or more Microsoft games may have edged it out, it's a massive accomplishment for a small studio. The data is based on the game's performance within its "first 30 days of availability," and with months of positive discussion and awards hype since, its lead has likely only continued to grow.
Guillaume Broche, the director of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer Sandfall Interactive, credits the service with part of the game's success. While the turn-based RPG genre might not always appeal to every player, "Game Pass lowered that barrier of entry," letting people who might not normally consider the game try it out.
ID@Xbox director Guy Richards emphasizes the sense that Expedition 33 was...
