The development of the game Expedition 33 by Sandfall Interactive has been a great success, selling over 5 million copies and winning a total of nine awards at The Game Awards, including the prestigious recognition of Game of the Year. However, despite this remarkable achievement, the studio leader, Guillaume Broche, has decided that they will not expand. In a recent interview, Broche explained that they prioritize creativity and the happiness of the team over business growth. I think it’s good to have limitations when you are creative, he stated, emphasizing the importance of making games that they themselves want to play.
They can do it, but they don’t want to
Although the landscape is playing favorably, with its success inspiring optimism about the future of independent and lower-budget games, Sandfall has faced controversies. The most notable was the revocation of its Game of the Year award at the Indie Game Awards, due to concerns surrounding artificial intelligence and the classification of the game as independent. This situation has sparked debates about the categorization of video games in the current industry.
Despite the success of Expedition 33 potentially leading the company to consider an increase in its staff and resources, Broche emphasized that they prefer to maintain a more intimate approach to video game creation. We don’t want to manage, we want to keep making games, he commented. Their philosophy focuses on adapting the game to the team rather than forcing the team to adapt to market demands. The best way to take care of people is to create something sincere, that has a strong soul and identity, Broche added.
Although Sandfall has not yet revealed details about its upcoming project, the big successes of Expedition 33 have made a mark on the industry, showing that it is possible for lower-budget games to find a place in a market dominated by expensive sequels.