"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 eagerly anticipated role-playing game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, many predicted a fierce competition. However, according to Kepler Interactive, the publisher behind Clair Obscur, the release of Oblivion not only did not overshadow their game but actually enhanced the excitement for the RPG genre as a whole.

Kepler Interactive's senior portfolio manager, Matt Handrahan, shared insights with The Game Business about how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 thrived against the odds. RPG enthusiasts faced a challenging decision: immerse themselves in hundreds of hours within Oblivion's Cyrodiil or embark on a unique expedition to confront the Paintress in Clair Obscur. The simultaneous launch of these titles 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 depicting characters from Clair Obscur stepping into an Oblivion Gate, captioned with "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 supported Clair Obscur since its reveal at an Xbox Showcase the previous year, faced criticism for launching Oblivion alongside Clair Obscur, especially since both were available day one on Game Pass.

Handrahan, however, remained unfazed. “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.

“Also, by the time that we rolled around, we had momentum of our own and we felt pretty confident that we could stand beside it. I think there were other aspects, like the price point we were at and the inclusion in Game Pass… so we knew we would have a lot of interest around the game. We were confident in that. And it went as well as it possibly could have done in our eyes. And, actually, proximity to Oblivion didn't seem to harm us at all. In many ways, I think it just drew attention to quality RPGs that week and everybody was thinking and talking about the genre.”

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

The Game Business cited data from Ampere showing that 35% of Clair Obscur players also played Oblivion Remastered, indicating a substantial overlap. This overlap is largely attributed to both games being available on Game Pass, with the percentage decreasing among Steam and PlayStation 5 players.

Our comprehensive guide to Oblivion Remastered includes 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 those diving into Clair Obscur, be sure to check out our tips for the important things to know before heading into the game.