"Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Publisher Praises Oblivion Remastered for Boosting RPG Visibility"

When Bethesda unexpectedly released The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered during the launch week of the role-playing game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, many anticipated a fierce competition. However, Kepler Interactive's senior portfolio manager, Matt Handrahan, revealed to The Game Business that Clair Obscur not only withstood the release of Oblivion but actually thrived from the heightened excitement around RPGs.

To provide some context, RPG enthusiasts faced the dilemma of diving into the expansive world of Cyrodiil in Oblivion or embarking on a unique adventure to confront the Paintress in Clair Obscur. The simultaneous release sparked a mix of excitement and frustration among fans, prompting a playful response from Kepler Interactive on X/Twitter. They posted an edited image of Clair Obscur characters entering an Oblivion Gate, humorously referencing the simultaneous release of the movies Barbie and Oppenheimer in 2023 with the caption "omg its like barbenheimer."

omg its like barbenheimer pic.twitter.com/TN1AFzdggc

— Kepler Interactive (@Kepler_Interact) April 22, 2025

Microsoft, the owner of Bethesda and a major supporter of Clair Obscur since its reveal at an Xbox Showcase, faced criticism for the timing of Oblivion's release, especially since both games launched on Game Pass on day one.

Despite these concerns, Handrahan remained optimistic. "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."

He continued, "By the time we launched, we had our own momentum and felt confident we could stand beside Oblivion. Factors like our pricing and inclusion in Game Pass ensured we had significant interest. We were confident, and the launch went as well as it could have. The proximity to Oblivion didn't harm us at all; in fact, it drew more attention to quality RPGs that week, fueling discussions and excitement about the genre."

Meanwhile, Bethesda announced that Oblivion Remastered attracted over 4 million players since its launch, though specific sales figures remain undisclosed. It also boasted significant concurrent player numbers on Steam.

According to data from Ampere cited by The Game Business, 35% of Clair Obscur players also played Oblivion Remastered, indicating substantial overlap, particularly among Game Pass subscribers. The overlap was less pronounced on Steam and PlayStation 5.

We also offer a comprehensive guide to Oblivion Remastered, featuring an expansive Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and all Guild Quests, tips on How to Build the Perfect Character, a list of Things to Do First, all PC Cheat Codes, and more.

For Clair Obscur, be sure to review our essential tips to know before diving into the game.