French game “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,” the first game developed by Montpellier studio Sandfall Interactive, was awarded the best video game on Friday at the annual BAFTA Games Awards ceremony in London.
It’s a great achievement for this game that has won major awards this year in the industry.
It had already won the title of “game of the year” in December at the Game Awards in Los Angeles, a first for a French production.
In March, it also triumphed in Paris at the 7th edition of the Pégases, which reward the best French creations in video games.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Clair Obscur tells the tragic odyssey of a group of characters setting out to defy a supernatural entity threatening Lumiￃﾨre, a city reminiscent of Belle Epoque Paris.
The game, inspired by the famous Japanese saga Final Fantasy, captivated players with its touching story and endearing characters, all sprinkled with original gameplay requiring quick reflexes to fend off attacks from opponents.
“Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” also won the BAFTA for “best debut game” and Jennifer English won the award for actress in a leading role on Friday.
With over 5 million copies sold, Clair Obscur has become a global phenomenon since its release in April 2025.
It won nine awards – a record – at the Game Awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
The game’s soundtrack has millions of online plays.
Published by British publisher Kepler Interactive, “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” was developed mainly by a team of about thirty people, a relatively modest size compared to industry blockbusters, with a budget of less than 10 million euros.
This is the second French game to be named best game at the BAFTA, after Dishonored from Lyon’s Arkane Studio in 2013.
Competing for the best game award alongside it was Ghost of Tsushima from Japanese giant Sony, which is a sequel to a popular samurai video game released in 2020. This game won the BAFTA for best music.
Also in the running were Dispatch, Arc Raiders, Blue Prince, and Indiana Jones and the Old Circle.
