Yes—but the steampunk game was an early version of the project that became Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, not a separate released title. Sandfall Interactive rebooted it, replacing its story and world while carrying some foundations into the game released in 2025. Calling the old concept a game that “died” is a metaphor: a creative direction was abandoned, not a finished game cancelled.
What was the early steampunk concept?
Sandfall narrative lead Jennifer Svedberg-Yen described an early setting of steampunk Victorian England filled with zombies, aliens and other supernatural elements. The gameplay was expected to be similar to the eventual game, but the story was completely different, according to GameSpot’s May 13, 2025 account of her comments.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 PS5 | $45.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (PS5) | $41.74 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
The Art of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 | $55.91 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Deluxe Edition - PC Steam [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51q7UwoLdTL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Deluxe Edition - PC Steam [Online Game Code] | $59.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Original Soundtrack) | $42.39 | Buy on Amazon |
The early project was called We Lost, according to Sandfall marketing and publishing producer Benjamin Dimanche in a June 12, 2025 interview with France’s CNC. Game director Guillaume Broche began it as a personal Unreal Engine project in 2019.
Why did Sandfall reboot it?
GameSpot reported that the reboot followed investor encouragement for the studio to think bigger. Svedberg-Yen’s account connects the new direction to a painting that appealed to Broche and to a thematically artistic short story she wrote. The investor feedback is reported through her interview; it should not be mistaken for a direct public statement from the investors or the only cause of every creative change.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
#1 Best Overall
- Reactive Turn-based Combat: Craft unique builds for your Expeditioners that fit your playstyle via gear, stats, skills, and &character synergies
- Dodge, parry, and counter in real time, chain combos by mastering attack rhythms, and target enemy weak points using a free aim system
- With only one year left to live, join Gustave, Maelle, & fellow Expeditioners as they embark on a desperate quest to break Paintress’ cycle of death
- Explore an enchanting realm populated by adversaries; Wander through breathtaking landscapes, from Island of Visages to the Forgotten Battlefield
- Experience the debut game from Sandfall Interactive, fully realized in Unreal Engine 5 with stunning graphics and a heartbreaking soundtrack
Broche later described the project as a solo passion project begun while he was working at another game company. On the official Xbox Podcast, he said the team rebooted the art direction, choosing Belle Époque France and then blending it with fantasy and surrealism.
What changed—and what carried over?
The reboot replaced the early Victorian steampunk setting and story with the dreamlike world of Expedition 33. The Monolith, the Paintress, Belle Époque and the Gommage belong to the later direction, as Dimanche explained to CNC. The project did not start over from nothing: some character names and the reactive turn-based combat direction survived.
Rank #2
- Reactive Turn-based Combat - In this evolution of JRPGs, real-time actions enhance the heart of turn-based combat. Build your party and level up six characters. Craft unique builds for your expeditioners that fit your playstyle via gear, stats, skills, and character synergies. Open an active dimension in combat - dodge, parry, and counter in real time, chain combos by mastering attack rhythms, and target enemy weak points using a free-aim system.
- “Tomorrow Comes” - With only one year left to live, join Gustave, Maelle, and their fellow Expeditioners as they embark upon a desperate quest to break the Paintress’ cycle of death. Follow the trail of previous expeditions and discover their fate. Get to know the members of Expedition 33 as they learn to work together against impossible odds.
- A Hauntingly Beautiful World - Explore an enchanting realm populated by surreal adversaries. Wander through breathtaking landscapes, from the Island of Visages to the Forgotten Battlefield, discovering secrets and hidden quests along the way. Find allies of fortune in creatures of legend and recruit a special companion who can access new travel methods and secret areas in the World Map.
- Experience the debut game from Sandfall Interactive, fully realized in Unreal Engine 5 with stunning graphics and a heartbreaking soundtrack.
- European/ UK version
| Element | Early project | Released direction |
|---|---|---|
| World and story | Steampunk Victorian England, with zombies, aliens and other supernatural elements; a different story, as reported by GameSpot. | A dreamlike Belle Époque-inspired fantasy world, with the Monolith, the Paintress and the Gommage, according to CNC. |
| Gameplay foundation | Gameplay was expected to be similar to the final game, according to GameSpot. | Reactive turn-based combat; Dimanche told CNC that this direction carried over. |
| Project name | We Lost, according to Dimanche’s CNC interview. | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. |
How did the final look develop?
The released game’s visual identity is not simply steampunk with a new coat of paint. Sandfall’s final art direction draws on Belle Époque, Victorian motifs and Art Deco, combined with fantasy and surrealism. CNC’s interview also points to the art director’s theater and circus background, including Cirque du Soleil, as part of the influences behind the dreamlike result.
That blend helps explain the connection between the early concept and the finished game without treating them as interchangeable. Victorian references remained part of a broader visual vocabulary, but the setting, story and artistic direction were substantially reshaped.
Rank #3
Was the steampunk version ever released?
The accounts cited here describe it as an early version of the same evolving project, and do not establish a separate released game or surviving alternate version. There are no published prototype statistics or substantiated player reactions to report. The clear answer is that Sandfall abandoned the early direction in a reboot; it did not release one steampunk game and then replace it with another.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happened after the reboot?
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launched on April 24, 2025. In a CNC article published July 4, 2025, Dimanche said it had surpassed 3.3 million copies sold just over a month after launch. That is a dated sales milestone, not a current total.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a ground-breaking turn-based RPG with unique real-time mechanics, making battles more immersive and addictive than ever.
- Explore a fantasy world inspired by Belle Époque France in which you battle devastating enemies.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
