"It's a sad decision." Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developers on the end of physical disc production and why they pushed for a physical release despite the drawbacks - automaton-media.com

What the report says

AUTOMATON reported on an interview with core members of Sandfall Interactive following a Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 postmortem event hosted with Epic Games Japan in Yokohama. The discussion focused on the studio’s view of physical game releases, in light of PlayStation’s reported plan to stop producing game discs in 2028, and why Sandfall still wanted a boxed edition of Expedition 33.

CEO and creative director Guillaume Broche described the shift away from discs as disappointing from an artistic and cultural perspective, while acknowledging that the business logic may be understandable. He said physical games matter because they give players something tangible to collect and own. Co-founder and CTO Tom Guillermin said the team debated the issue with its publisher before release, noting that physical editions add scheduling and manufacturing constraints and bring in less revenue per copy, but still felt important for players who value holding a game.

Other team members framed physical editions as part of the emotional experience around games. Lead character and concept artist Alan Reynaud said seeing the game in stores still feels meaningful, while technical artist Alexandre Breton compared a boxed game to an object that can bring back memories years later. Reynaud also likened the appeal to owning manga volumes rather than only reading digitally.

The interview highlights a broader tension in the games industry: digital distribution can reduce costs and increase convenience, but developers and collectors continue to see physical releases as part of games’ identity, preservation and fan culture. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.