"Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Publisher Praises Oblivion Remastered for Boosting RPG Visibility"

When Bethesda unexpectedly released The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered during the launch week of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, many anticipated a fierce competition between the two RPGs. However, Kepler Interactive's senior portfolio manager, Matt Handrahan, shared with The Game Business that Clair Obscur not only survived but thrived due to the simultaneous release, as it heightened overall excitement for the RPG genre.

To set the stage, RPG enthusiasts were torn between diving into the expansive world of Oblivion's Cyrodiil or joining the adventure against the Paintress in Clair Obscur. The concurrent launches sparked a mix of enthusiasm and frustration among fans, which Kepler Interactive playfully acknowledged on X/Twitter. They posted an edited image of Clair Obscur characters entering an Oblivion Gate, humorously likening the situation to the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon when Barbie and Oppenheimer hit theaters on the same day in 2023.

omg its like barbenheimer pic.twitter.com/TN1AFzdggc

— Kepler Interactive (@Kepler_Interact) April 22, 2025

Microsoft, the owner of Bethesda and a significant supporter of Clair Obscur since its reveal at an Xbox Showcase, faced criticism for shadow-dropping Oblivion alongside Clair Obscur, especially since both were day-one Game Pass titles.

Handrahan, however, remained optimistic. "We always knew that Expedition 33 had a very specific identity," he explained. "When I was in the press, I saw the Western-style RPG and the Japanese-style RPG as having quite different appeals and audiences. I knew plenty of people that would play an Elder Scrolls game that wouldn't necessarily play Final Fantasy and vice versa.

"Also, by the time that we rolled around, we had momentum of our own and we felt pretty confident that we could stand beside it. I think there were other aspects, like the price point we were at and the inclusion in Game Pass… so we knew we would have a lot of interest around the game. We were confident in that. And it went as well as it possibly could have done in our eyes. And, actually, proximity to Oblivion didn't seem to harm us at all. In many ways, I think it just drew attention to quality RPGs that week and everybody was thinking and talking about the genre."

Bethesda announced that Oblivion Remastered has attracted over 4 million players since its launch, though sales figures remain undisclosed. It, too, has seen significant concurrent player numbers on Steam.

Data from Ampere, cited by The Game Business, indicates that 35% of Clair Obscur players also played Oblivion Remastered, showcasing a notable overlap. This overlap is largely attributed to both games being available on Game Pass, with the percentage decreasing for Steam and PlayStation 5 players.

Our comprehensive guide to Oblivion Remastered includes an expansive Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and all Guild Quests, tips on How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, all PC Cheat Codes, and much more.

For those interested in Clair Obscur, be sure to review our tips on the essential things to know before diving into the game.