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After a historic night at the Game Awards, which saw exceptional fantasy turn-based RPG Expedition 33 walk away with nine awards to add to its now over 400 Game of the Year wins (including our own), the French government has awarded the game’s developers the coveted ‘Order of Arts and Letters’.
France’s Ministry of Culture granted developer Sandfall Interactive the award, along with a range of shiny medals, as recognition of the game’s significant contributions to French arts and literature.
“From Expeditioners to Knights!” The Sandfall team wrote on LinkedIn. “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,” the announcement continued.
“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.”
La médaille d’or
Expedition 33 previously scored a near-clean sweep in the Game Developers’ Choice Awards, with sales of the RPG hitting six million following its historic Game Awards sweep.
Given that French President Emmanuel Macron previously hailed the game as a “great pride for France,” it’s no surprise that the talent at Sandfall received an award to signify the game’s cultural relevance.
The game’s French roots are encapsulated by the style of its dark fantasy world, which draws strong inspiration from the Belle Époque (“Beautiful Era”) of French history.
While Expedition 33’s story only sometimes shows the optimism that the Belle Époque era is known for, it adroitly embodies the artistic exploration, dreamlike architecture, and elegant fashion of the era.
Sandfall previously stated that its next game won’t try to please everyone, a sentiment that, if followed through upon, will likely result in more wondrous, dreamlike visions for years to come.
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