Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developers have been honoured with French knighthoods in the Order of Arts and Letters, in a government ceremony praising the team’s contributions to the games and creative industries.
‘This distinction honours us, and our deepest thanks go especially to our team who shaped this world and to the millions of players who have brought it to life,’ studio Sandfall Interactive said in a statement posted to LinkedIn.
‘We hope that our journey will inspire all those who wish to take the plunge and create their own work.’
Clair Obscur earns knighthoods – quick links
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 team praised for their contributions to the arts
In a statement, French minister of culture Rachida Dati praised Sandfall Interactive’s members, outlining a need to celebrate success, particularly in difficult times.
‘By its scale, by its impact, by the support of the public as well as the critics, your work Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has established itself as a major moment in the history of French video games,’ Dati said (via GamesIndustry.biz).
‘At a time when the video game industry is going through a difficult period, your success restores confidence, energy and momentum to an entire sector.’
‘For the French video game industry, your success says something very simple and very important: video games are no longer reserved for a certain age, generation or social class. They have found their place, naturally, in our cultural lives.’
Read: Australian creatives awarded French Order of Arts and Letters
Per Dati, the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has demonstrated the cultural value of video games, globally, as both a ‘lever for influence and soft power’ as well as ‘an art form in its own right’.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 a hit worldwide
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has not only become a major hit within France but also around the world, bringing the country’s culture and talent to a global audience.
It recently swept The Game Awards 2025, taking out the highly-coveted Game of the Year Award, as well as several other accolades. It has also climbed the MetaCritic charts since its launch in April 2025, becoming one of the top-rating games on the platform.
The French government has now recognised this success on a mainstream stage, highlighting the value of video games as cultural artefacts and artistic media. Dati’s statement reflects the influence of Clair Obscur, confirming it’s helped to change minds about games as art, and as entertainment, beyond established assumptions.
The Sandfall Interactive team now joins a prestigious, small group of game developers awarded with knighthoods for their creations. The list of other knights of the Order of Arts and Letters includes Eiji Aonuma, producer of The Legend of Zelda, Frédérick Raynal, designer of Alone in the Dark, and Michel Ancel, creator of Rayman.
Also on ScreenHub: Screenwest announces $4 million support for WA games industry
Western Australia’s Screenwest has announced a dedicated new digital games strategy that outlines significant support for WA game developers and studios through to 2029. The strategy commits to boosting the economic benefit of locally-produced, Screenwest-supported games from $2.2 million per year to $4 million by mid-2029.
It also aims to help increase the number of digital games companies based in WA by 50% by mid-2029, and to support at least six game releases per year in the same window. As announced, the push to better support the WA games industry has been inspired by recent, successful game releases including for Lunars: Ultimate Zodiac Party from Anubis Arts, Omi Oh My Ai from Every Second Studio, and Don’t Stop Girlypop! from Funny Fintan Softworks.
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