Michael "Shroud" Grzesiek has finally relented and played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Seven hours later, he concluded that he likes the game, marking a slight change of heart compared to his earlier comments that sparked controversy among Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 fans.
In early November 2025, Shroud urged his fans to pick ARC Raiders over Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in any Game of the Year award with public voting. He argued that multiplayer titles have long been underrepresented at award ceremonies and suggested that if one were to finally win the top honor, ARC Raiders would be a deserving choice. "Do not let that Expedition game win game of the year," he said, calling for everyone to "band together" and help ARC Raiders do so instead, while adding that "multiplayer gamers are the minority." The comments drew pushback from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 fans, but also invited broader scrutiny. For instance, the fact that multiplayer games have dominated best-seller charts for years prompted some to question how Shroud defines a "minority" audience, while others criticized him for dismissing Sandfall Interactive's RPG without having played it.
Shroud’s reaction to this year’s nominations turned into a pointed accusation after his favorite...
