The lead writer of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has opened up about the game’s development, including one of the RPG’s most devastating story moments. Jennifer Svedberg-Yen explained how she approached the pivotal Act 1 plot point and shared the motivation behind crafting it as a meaningful experience for players.
How LOST Influenced ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s’ Act 1 Ending
In a recent interview with The Gamer, Jennifer Svedberg-Yen revealed how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was conceptualized as a story. However, the lead writer also gave us some insight into creating one of the game’s most devastating moments. For obvious reasons, we’ll need to dive into some major Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 story spoilers below.
WARNING: the section below contains MAJOR STORY SPOILERS for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Read at your own risk!
Act 1 of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 ends with the shocking death of protagonist Gustave. Jennifer Svedberg-Yen revealed that the surprising story moment was actually planned far in advance. “We knew that from the beginning. In general, with a lot of these plot points, it’s about what makes sense in the story and what makes sense in terms of the evolution of the characters. It’s about thinking about what will push the characters further along in their emotional journey and what will really make sense within the broader theme of what we’re trying to achieve.”
Interestingly, Svedberg-Yen cites shows like LOST as a reason why Gustave’s death had to be planned well in advance. The lead writer wanted the story to have answers from the beginning. “It’s a pet peeve of mine when people write stuff and they don’t know where they’re going with it, and then they try to figure it out as they go. It’s like the TV shows Alias or Lost. I need to have the answers to the questions.”
‘Clair Obscur’s’ Story Challenges Players
I can personally attest to how emotional the Clair Obscur Act 1 plot beat is, as I literally sat stunned in bed for an hour after reaching that moment. I even considered quitting the game altogether because I was so devastated by Gustave’s fate. This speaks volumes about how well-written the characters are. I truly grew to care about the protagonist in such a short time.
According to Svedberg-Yen, this was intentional, as the game was inspired by themes of loss. “Around the same time, Guillaume’s mom actually helped us. He asked her, ‘What is the worst thing that could happen to you?’ And she said, ‘To lose you’—or to lose any of her children. And so that became our catalyst.” I have to say, they really nailed those emotional beats. I’m still feeling the impact of the Act 1 story moment and find myself thinking about it even weeks later.
I genuinely believe the ending of Act 1 in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will eventually be seen on the same level as the watershed Final Fantasy 7 Aerith moment. And those who know what I’m talking about know exactly what I mean. I think that’s a big reason people are connecting with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It truly challenges players to rethink what they expect from traditional stories and characters.
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