Sandfall Interactive, the studio behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, has received formal recognition from the French government for its contribution to the country’s cultural landscape. France’s Ministry of Culture awarded several members of the development team the prestigious Order of Arts and Letters, conferring on them the rank of Knight.
The studio confirmed the honour earlier this week through a LinkedIn post, alongside images from a ceremony held in Paris at the Ministry of Culture. The Order of Arts and Letters recognizes individuals who make “significant contributions to the arts, literature, or the propagation of these fields.” While commonly associated with literature, film and music, video game creators rarely receive this distinction — making Sandfall’s recognition particularly notable.
“From Expeditioners to Knights!” the studio wrote on their celebratory post. “We were received yesterday at the Ministry of Culture to celebrate our game, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. As such, the members of Sandfall Interactive were awarded the Order of Arts and Letters.
“This distinction honors us, and our deepest thanks go especially to our team who shaped this world and to the millions of players who have brought it to life. We hope that our journey will inspire all those who wish to take the plunge and create their own work.”
The Order of Arts and Letters ranks recipients as Knights, Officers or Commanders. While the honor does not confer a formal title like “Sir”, it remains one of France’s most prestigious cultural awards. The Ministry of Culture limits the number of recipients each year, only 200 people worldwide, and recognition of an entire studio remains extremely rare.
The French honour follows an exceptional year for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Since launching in April 2025, the RPG has become the most-awarded game in history, surpassing titles such as Elden Ring and Baldur’s Gate 3. The game secured nine wins from 13 nominations at The Game Awards, setting a new record, and earned widespread acclaim for its combat system, narrative depth and artistic vision.
Sandfall Interactive now joins a small group of game creators previously honoured by the French Ministry of Culture. Previous recipients of the Order include Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto, Rayman creator Michel Ancel, and Alone in the Dark creator Frédérick Raynal. Nintendo producer Eiji Aonuma also received the honour in 2023.
The recognition signals continued institutional acknowledgement of video games as a cultural art form in France, placing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 among the country’s most significant modern creative works.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available now on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC.
Words by Khushboo Malhotra
What do you think about video games receiving national cultural honors? Share your thoughts with us on X (formerly Twitter), and visit The Indiependent for more gaming news and features.
Support The Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.