Most game studios dream of getting bigger. They chase more staff, more projects, and more office space. But for Sandfall Interactive, the team behind the hit game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, success doesn’t mean growing their ranks. They’re quite happy exactly where they are.
The studio’s Head Programmer, Tom Guillermin, and Art Director, Guillaume Broche, recently shared their thoughts with Automation Japan during a trip. Guillermin explained that Sandfall Interactive feels just right in size for the games they make. They aren’t planning to hire a ton of new people any time soon.
“I really think so,” Guillermin said. “For now, I like working with this small team.” He even laughed, adding, “I’m not sure how big an ‘ideal team’ should be. But if we’re making a full-price turn-based RPG like this, this team size feels perfect.”
Sandfall does get a lot of help from outside partners. These partners assist with things like checking game quality, translating text into different languages, and handling marketing. However, the core team working directly on the game stays surprisingly small and focused.
Broche gave a peek into their team setup. He mentioned that five people handle scenes and environments. The story side of the game has two people. For cinematics, they have about three to six team members. And four people work on the game’s music. Even with a small group, Broche stressed that every team member is truly talented.
This efficient, small-team approach has earned Sandfall praise from many in the game world. Even famous game director Hideo Kojima once noted that a smaller team can often be the best size for people to work together effectively. It seems Sandfall Interactive agrees.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available now. You can play it on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.