Square Enix Clair Obscur
Image: Push Square

Final Fantasy has never been a franchise to stand still, but the arrival and subsequent success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has prompted many fans to question the series' recent direction.

Indeed, now more than ever, Final Fantasy leans into action-based gameplay; Final Fantasy 16 is the obvious and most extreme example of this, but the likes of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Rebirth, and even 2016's Final Fantasy 15 are a far cry from what the series used to be.

What's more, the infamously hard-to-please publisher has repeatedly suggested that the commercial performance of these games — 16 and Rebirth in particular — has been below expectations.

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Meanwhile, Clair Obscur, the new kid on the block and the debut release from Sandfall Interactive, has racked up a seriously impressive 3 million sales since its release back in April — and it's pretty much the main frontrunner for Game of the Year.

Of course, Clair Obscur is a turn-based RPG with a very heavy emphasis on story and fantastical world building. For many, it encapsulates a lot of what Final Fantasy used to be — and now, the game's being held aloft as an example of what Square Enix has perhaps been missing out on after all these years.

We don't think it's quite that cut and dry, but we can see the reasoning — and so can one of Square Enix's investors. As translated by Genki, said investor asked the company for its opinion on Clair Obscur during a shareholders meeting, essentially questioning whether key properties like Final Fantasy could return to a more traditional turn-based structure.

In response, Square Enix said it was "aware" of Clair Obscur's success, and that the company's identity is still built on command-based RPGs. What's more, the publisher plans on "delivering such games in the future".

Now, while that's not exactly Square Enix stating it'll return the likes of Final Fantasy to its command-based roots, there's no question that Clair Obscur will have caused discussions behind closed doors at the company. There is quite clearly a market for well-made, turn-based RPGs — just look at Baldur's Gate 3.

But of course, this is a simplistic way of looking at things; there are many more factors to consider when evaluating the ups and downs of a franchise like Final Fantasy. Still, it'll be interesting to see whether the success of Clair Obscur and other western RPGs will force Square Enix to reevaluate its business.

Do you think there are lessons to be learned here? Should companies like Square Enix be looking at Clair Obscur for potential inspiration? Wonder what the future holds in the comments section below.

[source x.com, via x.com]