"Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Publisher Praises Oblivion Remastered for Boosting RPG Visibility"

When Bethesda surprised everyone by shadow-dropping The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered during the launch week of the highly anticipated role-playing game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, many predicted a clear winner. However, Kepler Interactive, the publisher behind Clair Obscur, revealed that not only did Oblivion fail to overshadow their game, but it actually boosted interest in the RPG genre, benefiting Clair Obscur.

Matt Handrahan, senior portfolio manager at Kepler Interactive, shared insights with The Game Business on how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 thrived amidst the competition. RPG enthusiasts faced a tough decision: dive into hundreds of hours in Oblivion's Cyrodiil or embark on a thrilling expedition to confront the Paintress in Clair Obscur. The simultaneous launch sparked a mix of excitement and frustration among fans, prompting a witty response from Kepler Interactive.

In a playful X/Twitter post, Kepler shared an edited image of Clair Obscur characters stepping into an Oblivion Gate, captioned "omg its like barbenheimer," humorously referencing the simultaneous release of the films Barbie and Oppenheimer in 2023.

omg its like barbenheimer pic.twitter.com/TN1AFzdggc

— Kepler Interactive (@Kepler_Interact) April 22, 2025

Microsoft, which owns Bethesda and had heavily promoted Clair Obscur since its reveal at an Xbox Showcase the previous year, faced criticism for the timing of Oblivion's release, especially since both titles were available on Game Pass from day one.

Despite the potential for conflict, Handrahan remained optimistic. "We always knew that Expedition 33 had a very specific identity," he explained. "When I was in the press, I saw the Western-style RPG and the Japanese-style RPG as having quite different appeals and audiences. I knew plenty of people that would play an Elder Scrolls game that wouldn't necessarily play Final Fantasy and vice versa.

"By the time we launched, we had built our own momentum and felt confident that we could stand beside Oblivion. Factors like our competitive price point and inclusion in Game Pass ensured we would capture significant interest. The proximity to Oblivion didn't harm us at all; in fact, it drew more attention to quality RPGs that week, keeping the genre at the forefront of everyone's minds."

Clair Obscur has proven to be a major success for Kepler and its French developer, Sandfall Interactive, selling over 1 million copies in just three days and achieving impressive concurrent player numbers on Steam. The game's success even earned praise from French President Macron for the development team.

Bethesda announced that Oblivion Remastered has attracted over 4 million players since its launch, though specific sales figures remain undisclosed. It, too, boasts significant concurrent player numbers on Steam.

Data from Ampere, cited by The Game Business, indicates that 35% of Clair Obscur players also played Oblivion Remastered, highlighting a notable overlap. This crossover is largely attributed to both games being available on Game Pass, with the overlap percentage decreasing for players on Steam and PlayStation 5.

Our comprehensive guide to Oblivion Remastered covers everything you need to know, including an expansive Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and every Guild Quest, tips on How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, every PC Cheat Code, and much more.

For Clair Obscur, be sure to check out our tips for the important things to know before heading into the game.