Summary
- Former Dragon Age narrative lead David Gaider says Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Baldur’s Gate 3 are “love letters to their genre.”
- Gaider attributes the success of both games to the extended development time they were given.
- He also highlights the importance of designing games with a clear core audience in mind, rather than trying to please everyone.
Former Dragon Age narrative lead David Gaider said that both Baldur’s Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 are “love letters to their genre,” and reflected on how games need “time to cook” in order to deliver memorable experiences. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of the biggest surprises of 2025 so far, and Gaider believes there’s something in it—and in Baldur’s Gate 3—that the industry should take note of when developing games for large audiences.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 came out less than a month ago (April 24), taking the gaming community by storm by introducing a dark JRPG with a deep story and a polished hybrid combat system. The reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with over a million copies sold in its first 12 days and an impressive Metacritic score of 9.7. On the other hand, Baldur’s Gate 3 experienced a somewhat similar situation in 2024, selling over 15 million copies and mesmerizing RPG fans with its engaging gameplay and branching narrative. Now, a former Dragon Age writer has reflected on these two successful titles.
In Defense of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Platforming
Clair Obscur’s platforming may frustrate some, but there’s intention behind it, and the game knows exactly what players will do for the right reward.
Speaking to GamesRadar+, former Dragon Age narrative lead David Gaider said that while both games have a specific target audience, Baldur’s Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 3 3 are so well-made that they’ve reached a wider player base. Gaider credits the games’ success to the development time they were given, saying that this is “what’s possible when a game is given time to cook.”
Baldur’s Gate 3 and Clair Obscur Succeeded in Part Thanks to Development Time
Baldur’s Gate 3 had a long early access period, during which Larian had the chance to address player feedback and ensure it was delivering a polished experience. Gaider believes this is crucial for a game’s success and points out how this can become an issue when dealing with publishers, who often impose deadlines that end up jeopardizing a game’s launch.
Nevertheless, Gaider also acknowledges that it’s the publisher’s job—and they’re constantly under financial pressure, especially considering how expensive game development has become and how much is at stake. Still, Gaider believes a key reason why Expedition 33 and BG3 were successful lies in the fact that these games were designed for one core audience instead of trying to appeal to everyone. “But it's so strong that it ends up growing that audience,” Gaider states. While BG3 continues to boast a large player base—especially after Patch 8 dropped—everyone’s now got their eyes on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which is growing more popular by the day.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- April 24, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Sandfall Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- Kepler Interactive
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based RPG, JRPG, Fantasy
