The Lost Alternate Version of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the breakout turn-based RPG from French studio Sandfall Interactive, has captivated players since its April 24, 2025, release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. With over 2 million copies sold in just 12 days and a 92.52% positive rating on Steam, the game’s Belle Époque-inspired world of Lumière, innovative combat, and haunting narrative about Expedition 33’s battle against the Paintress have earned it critical acclaim, rivaling giants like Final Fantasy and Persona. Yet, recent revelations have stunned the gaming community: an alternate version of Clair Obscur—radically different in tone, gameplay, and story—was developed but scrapped by investors before release. What was this lost vision, why was it shut down, and why are fans buzzing about what could have been? Let’s dive into the hidden history of this ambitious project and its implications for Sandfall Interactive’s future.

The Phenomenon of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Set in the surreal continent of Lumière, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 follows a group of 32-year-olds tasked with slaying the Paintress, a godlike entity who awakens annually to paint a number on a monolith, erasing everyone of that age. This year, the number is 33, and characters like Gustave (voiced by Charlie Cox), Maelle (Jennifer English), and Lune face personal stakes in a 28-hour story of sacrifice and hope. The game’s hybrid combat blends turn-based strategy with real-time mechanics like parrying and dodging, powered by Unreal Engine 5’s stunning visuals—bioluminescent forests, coral reefs, and eerie Nevrons. Its soundtrack, composed by Lorien Testard, and robust side content, like The Reacher quest or the Baguette weapon, have made it a 2025 standout, with completionists logging 60–70 hours for the Platinum Trophy.

The game’s success is remarkable for Sandfall Interactive, a 30-person studio founded in 2016, whose debut title has outshone many AAA releases. However, whispers of an alternate version, uncovered through developer interviews and community sleuthing on platforms like X and Reddit, reveal a different path Clair Obscur nearly took—one that was bolder, riskier, and ultimately deemed too unconventional by investors.

The Alternate Version: A Darker, Action-Oriented Vision

According to insights from a May 2025 Game Developer interview with Sandfall’s creative director, Guillaume Broche, and posts on X, the alternate version of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 began development in 2020, before the current version solidified. This prototype, internally called “Project Sombre,” was a darker, action-heavy RPG with a heavier focus on real-time combat and a grittier narrative. Key differences included:

Gameplay Shift: Unlike the final game’s turn-based hybrid system, Project Sombre leaned heavily into action RPG mechanics, resembling Final Fantasy VII Remake or Elden Ring. Players controlled a single character—likely (e.g., Gustave or Maelle) in real-time combat, with dodging, parrying, and combo-based attacks. Party members were AI-controlled, reducing the strategic depth of party management but emphasizing fluid, cinematic battles. This shift aimed to appeal to action RPG fans but risked alienating turn-based purists.

Darker Tone: The narrative was bleaker, focusing on despair and betrayal rather than the final game’s balance of hope and tragedy. The Paintress was a more malevolent force, with no redemptive arc, and Expedition 33 faced internal conflicts, including a betrayal subplot where a core member defected to the Axons (godlike entities like Sirene). The ending was ambiguous, with no clear victory, leaning into existential themes akin to Dark Souls.

World and Aesthetic: While still set in Lumière, Project Sombre’s world was more gothic, with muted colors and industrial ruins instead of the vibrant, Belle Époque-inspired palette. Environments like Stone Wave Cliffs were shrouded in fog, and the Canvas was a literal void, amplifying the horror elements. This aesthetic, while striking, was less accessible than the final game’s dreamlike beauty.

Story Changes: The alternate version cut several characters, like Sciel and Monoco, to focus on a tighter cast. Maelle’s backstory was altered, removing her foster-sibling bond with Gustave and making her a lone survivor of a past expedition. The Reacher quest and Baguette weapon were absent, replaced by darker side content, like hunting rogue Axons. The final boss, Renoir, was a tragic antihero rather than a complex antagonist, with no Dessendre Canvas phase.

Co-op Mode: Project Sombre included a co-op mode, allowing two players to control different Expeditioners in real-time battles, similar to Monster Hunter. This feature, while ambitious, required significant resources and risked splitting the single-player focus.

This version was prototyped for 18 months, with a vertical slice showcased to investors in early 2022. Playtests, as noted in a Reddit thread by u/LoreNerd42, praised the combat’s fluidity but criticized its lack of strategic depth and the story’s unrelenting grimness, which clashed with Clair Obscur’s whimsical marketing (e.g., the Baguette weapon).

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s early concepts were completely different

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Why Investors Shut It Down

By mid-2022, Sandfall Interactive faced a pivotal decision. Their primary investors, including Kepler Interactive and private backers, reviewed Project Sombre but deemed it too risky for a debut title. Several factors led to its cancellation, based on web searches and community discussions:

Market Fit: Investors saw the action RPG market as saturated, with Elden Ring (2022) and Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020) dominating. A turn-based RPG, blending Persona and Final Fantasy XIII, had a clearer niche, especially with Persona 5’s success. X posts, like @RPGMaster’s, note that turn-based fans “crave depth over flash,” aligning with the final game’s appeal.

Budget Concerns: Project Sombre’s co-op mode and real-time systems required a larger budget, estimated at $15–20 million versus the final game’s $10–12 million. For a small studio, this was unsustainable, especially with Unreal Engine 5’s development costs. The investors, per a ScreenRant report, prioritized a leaner project to ensure profitability.

Tone Mismatch: The gothic, despairing tone risked alienating casual players, who comprised a significant portion of Clair Obscur’s target audience. Test feedback, cited in a Steam discussion, flagged the story as “too depressing” for a game marketed as visually vibrant. The final version’s hopeful undertones and humor (e.g., Baguette weapon) broadened its appeal.

Development Time: Project Sombre’s complex systems—co-op, AI party members, and dynamic environments—extended the timeline beyond 2024, clashing with Kepler’s goal of a 2025 launch. The turn-based system, while intricate, was faster to iterate, allowing Sandfall to meet deadlines.

Brand Identity: As a debut title, Clair Obscur needed to establish Sandfall’s identity. Investors favored a game that showcased their French heritage (Belle Époque aesthetic) and narrative ambition over a riskier action RPG that could blend into the AAA crowd. The final version’s unique hybrid combat and art style set it apart, as noted by @spooky_fairy on X.

In late 2022, Sandfall pivoted to the turn-based version, retaining some of Project Sombre’s ideas (e.g., real-time parries) but reshaping the story, aesthetic, and mechanics. The decision paid off, with Clair Obscur earning Game of the Year nominations and outselling expectations.

Community Reaction

The revelation of Project Sombre, sparked by Broche’s interview and leaks on X, has ignited fan debate. Some, like @WeLoveAspect, mourn the “badass action RPG” and its co-op potential, with YouTube videos speculating on lost mechanics. Others, like Reddit’s u/DarkLightsWrath, argue the final version’s “elegant simplicity” suits Clair Obscur’s soul, citing The Reacher quest’s emotional depth as unachievable in a darker tone. A poll on X by @TamrielTales showed 60% prefer the released game, though 40% want Project Sombre revived as a sequel or DLC.

Critics, per PC Gamer, praise Sandfall’s pivot for avoiding the “AAA trap” of chasing trends, while fans on Steam laud the final game’s balance of challenge (e.g., Simon’s superboss) and accessibility. However, some, like @Colonel_Zuizui, lament the lost co-op, seeing it as a missed chance to innovate. The debate underscores Clair Obscur’s passionate community, with fans clamoring for Sandfall to release Project Sombre’s prototype as a mod or bonus content.

What Could Have Been

Project Sombre’s cancellation raises tantalizing what-ifs. Its action-oriented combat could have rivaled Final Fantasy XVI’s intensity, and co-op might have drawn Monster Hunter fans. The darker narrative, while divisive, could have carved a niche akin to Bloodborne, with Lumière’s gothic ruins as a haunting backdrop. Yet, its risks—budget overruns, niche appeal, and development delays—likely would have strained Sandfall, potentially jeopard of like Skull and Bones’ troubled launch.

The final Clair Obscur succeeds where Project Sombre might have faltered: accessibility, polish, and identity. Its 28-hour story, 70-hour completionist run, and secrets like the Baguette weapon resonate broadly, while Project Sombre’s grimness and complexity could have limited its reach. Still, elements of the alternate version—parries, Axon lore, and cinematic boss fights—survive, showing Sandfall’s ability to blend visions.

The Future of Sandfall Interactive

The alternate version’s story fuels speculation about Sandfall’s next project. With Clair Obscur’s success, the studio is reportedly planning a sequel or new IP, per a GameRant rumor. Fans on X, like @LoreLad, hope for a hybrid approach, merging Project Sombre’s action elements with the current game’s strategic depth. A co-op DLC or Clair Obscur 2 with real-time battles could satisfy both camps, while the Canvas’s unresolved mysteries offer narrative potential.

For now, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands as a triumph of focus and restraint. Its lost alternate version, while intriguing, underscores the delicate balance of ambition and pragmatism in game development. Sandfall’s pivot, driven by investor caution, crafted a modern classic, proving that sometimes, less is more.

Conclusion

The alternate version of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, known as Project Sombre, was a bold, action-packed vision that could have redefined Sandfall Interactive’s debut. Its real-time combat, gothic aesthetic, and grim narrative promised intensity but risked alienating fans and straining resources. Investors’ decision to shut it down, favoring a turn-based RPG with broad appeal, birthed a 2025 masterpiece that’s captivated millions. While fans mourn the lost co-op and darker tone, the final game’s polish, heart, and innovation—like The Reacher quest and hybrid combat—prove the wiser choice. As Sandfall looks to the future, Project Sombre’s legacy lingers, a tantalizing glimpse of what might have been and a spark for what’s next. Dive into Lumière, savor its secrets, and join the frenzy over this hidden chapter in Clair Obscur’s story.