Overview
- Hazelight founder Josef Fares says publishers should not pivot to only lower-budget projects following Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
- He argues blockbuster development can still take risks, though budgets above roughly $100 million tend to increase caution.
- Fares warns against copycat strategies and notes many 2025 double-A releases failed to gain traction.
- Sandfall developers describe the game as indie at heart, citing creative freedom and a small team despite publisher backing.
- Reports place the project’s budget below $10 million, and its Game of the Year breakout has intensified debate over how to classify and fund such games.