Sandfall Interactive Commits to Small, Efficient Team for Future Projects
Despite the significant buzz and growing anticipation around their upcoming title, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, developer Sandfall Interactive has made it clear they have no plans for a major staff expansion. In a recent interview with Automaton, Creative Director Guillaume Broche and Lead Programmer Tom Guillermin shared insights into their studio's philosophy, emphasizing their belief in the effectiveness of a more compact team.
Guillermin explained that the current team size has proven highly efficient in handling their workload. "I think for now, I’d prefer to work within a smaller team," he stated. "I'm not sure what the ideal team size would be, but for creating a full-price, turn-based RPG, I believe our current team is just right." This sentiment underscores a deliberate choice to maintain agility and close collaboration, rather than pursuing rapid growth typically seen after a game gains traction.
Broche further elaborated on the studio's productivity, highlighting how relatively small groups were responsible for major game components. For instance, the environment art team comprised just five people, while only two handled the entire story. Music was managed by four individuals, and cutscenes involved a team of three to six. This impressive output, according to Broche, is a direct result of their meticulous recruitment process, which saw Sandfall conduct over 200 interviews to find the right talent.
Interestingly, Sandfall Interactive didn't exclusively seek out seasoned veterans of the gaming industry. Broche noted that some key hires, such as their VFX artist and character designer, are recent college graduates for whom Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is their debut project. He sees this lack of extensive prior experience not as a drawback, but as an advantage, as younger professionals often adapt more readily to Sandfall's unique workflows and collaborative environment.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is set to launch on PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, and will also be available on Game Pass. For players, Sandfall Interactive's commitment to a smaller, highly focused team suggests a development approach prioritizing quality and cohesion. This strategy could lead to a more polished and singularly visioned game, reflecting the focused efforts of a tight-knit creative group rather than the potential complexities and compromises that can sometimes arise in larger studio environments.
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