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Bethesda’s Todd Howard Names Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 His Game of the Year, Calling It “A Unique Piece of Art”
December 7, 2025Todd Howard, the powerhouse behind Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, didn’t hesitate when asked which game grabbed him most this year: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. When chatting with Eurogamer’s Mat Jones, Howard described Expedition 33 as “really unique and amazing,” singling out its artistry and bold design.
Expedition 33 isn’t flying under the radar. It’s set industry records and is dominating awards season, leaving even Bethesda’s major launches in its shadow.
Expedition 33: Artistry, Combat, and a Surprising Rivalry
Expedition 33’s “unique piece of art” accolade from Howard isn’t just empty praise. The game has racked up over 5 million copies sold worldwide across every platform. It’s also shattered records with 12 nominations at next week’s Game Awards, marking it as the frontrunner and beating out more established franchises for critical attention.
This breakout success comes despite going head-to-head with a titan. Just two days before Expedition 33’s launch, Bethesda stealth-released The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered. Both games dropped on Xbox Game Pass nearly simultaneously, creating a heavyweight RPG showdown. According to Kepler’s senior portfolio director Matt Handrahan, that close release window didn’t faze Expedition 33: “Proximity to Oblivion didn’t seem to harm us at all.”
Why wasn’t this a problem? The games attract different crowds. Expedition 33 and Oblivion might both be RPGs, but they’re at opposite ends of the genre spectrum — one representing Western traditions, the other steeped in Japanese influence.
For Xbox Game Pass, Expedition 33 turned out to be a landmark moment. It became the subscription’s biggest third-party release of the year, proving there’s still room for new names to make waves next to legacy series.
Todd Howard’s Picks and Perspective
Howard’s endorsement didn’t stop at Clair Obscur. He also gave a nod to Death Stranding 2 and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 as standout releases this year. But for him, Expedition 33 was in a league of its own, especially in terms of artistic direction and ambition. “I think Expedition 33 is a really unique piece of art in so many ways,” he told Eurogamer, emphasising his respect for the game.
As for what’s next from Bethesda, Howard shared that his daily focus remains on The Elder Scrolls 6, though it’s “still a long way off.” He also addressed the growing presence of AI in game development, voicing support but with a clear boundary: he wants to “protect artistry” in Bethesda’s games even as technology evolves.
While Howard’s future projects are still distant and mysterious, his pick for 2025’s best game is a clear one, and the industry’s eyes are now firmly on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as it heads into what could be a history-making week at The Game Awards.
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