The director Guillaume Broche and lead programmer Tom Guillermin of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 have publicly asserted that turn-based RPGs are enjoying strong commercial success, despite facing ongoing prejudice from both industry insiders and segments of the gaming audience.
This statement comes as Expedition 33 itself continues to gain both critical acclaim and impressive sales figures, challenging long-held assumptions about the viability of the genre.
“The prejudice against turn-based RPGs doesn’t match the reality of their market performance,” the Sandfall Interactive director explained in a recent interview. “Games with these systems are consistently profitable and finding audiences, but there’s still this lingering perception that they’re somehow outdated or niche.”
This perception has roots in the industry shift that began during the PS3/Xbox 360 era, when many developers moved away from traditional turn-based systems toward real-time action combat. Perhaps most notably, the Final Fantasy series, once the standard-bearer for turn-based JRPGs, transitioned to more action-oriented gameplay with more recent installments.
However, the facts tell a different story. Persona 5 Royal has surpassed 10 million units sold. Baldur’s Gate 3 dominated 2023’s game awards and sales charts. The Pokémon franchise continues to break records with each new release. Even the Yakuza series successfully pivoted to turn-based combat with its Like a Dragon games, maintaining strong sales throughout the transition.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 itself represents the evolution of turn-based systems, incorporating rhythm and timing elements that address common criticisms of the genre. The French-developed title features a painterly art style and innovative battle mechanics that blend traditional turn-based strategy with active elements like parries and dodges during enemy attacks.
