Austin Wintory, known for his work on Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and Journey, is just one of many industry veterans expressing admiration for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and its team. Regardless of your feelings towards Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, its story as an underdog has been nothing short of one of the year’s highlights in gaming. This passion project, developed by a new team of former Ubisoft talent, has made history by becoming the most-nominated game in The Game Awards’ history. Even as a supporter of Donkey Kong Bananza, it’s impossible to ignore the undeniable fact that the soundtrack for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is truly something special.
I dove into Sandfall Interactive’s RPG expecting a predominantly somber soundtrack, similar to the main theme, Alicia. Instead, I was blown away by one of the year’s most impressive and eclectic soundtracks—huge shoutout to Monoco’s theme for standing out! It’s no wonder this music has garnered attention from one of the industry’s best.
As Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 faces a potential snub at the 2026 Grammys, Wintory has expressed his willingness to “happily trade places” with the RPG. This admiration is echoed by the developers, who can’t quite believe their game has achieved such a remarkable feat in nominations, feeling that there are so many deserving titles this year.
The studio reflected on their journey, emphasizing how meaningful it is to be recognized in Japan, especially since the game is heavily inspired by cherished JRPGs from their childhood.
Wintory recently shared, “What an absolute joy and privilege to spend time” with Sandfall Interactive and composer Lorien Testard during a recent gathering. Known for his work on games like Hades 2 and Journey— which was the first game ever nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media—Wintory took to social media to share photos of himself alongside Testard and creative director Guillaume Broche. He praised them, saying, “Rarely, if ever, has a team inspired me as they have. They make us all better.”
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is up for Best Score and Music today at The Game Awards, among 11 other nominations, including the coveted Game of the Year award. As we await the results, we’ll see how this inspiring title fares.
In related news, the actor behind Monoco has also received a BAFTA nomination, along with three other cast members from the RPG. He humorously responded with a simple, “F**k.”
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