"Developer Sandfall's RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was one of 2025's breakout hits, and with a budget of reportedly less than $10 million, a relatively small development staff, and a price point below $70, some have said the game could be representative of a "AA"-style project that can break through. It may have worked for Expedition 33, and it could work for other titles,"
""You do hear, after the success of things like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, that the AA games are taking over. But I would not be able to live without a AAA title," he told The Game Business. "I really want to play the blockbuster games. You can't do GTA for $10 million. We need both." Fares went on to say that "it's important not to get stuck in ideas.""
""We need the diversity. I hope that publishers don't just look at a game like Expedition, which has been super successful, and think, 'Oh, AA is a new thing. Let's only do that.' I don't believe in that," he said. Fares also reminded people that while Expedition 33 was a success, many other "AA" games were not. "You had a huge amount of AA games that came [in 2025], which nobody cared about. Let's remember that," he said."
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 achieved breakout success on a modest budget, prompting talk that AA projects can succeed. Both AA and AAA games are necessary, and blockbuster experiences and innovation often require much larger budgets. Publishers should avoid shifting focus solely toward smaller-scale successes. Many AA releases in 2025 failed to gain attention, demonstrating that success is not guaranteed. Studios with massive budgets can still take innovative risks, as seen with developers known for pushing the envelope. Diversity across game scales should be maintained to preserve both blockbusters and smaller hits.
Read at GameSpot
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