"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 the role-playing game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, many anticipated a fierce competition. However, Kepler Interactive's senior portfolio manager, Matt Handrahan, revealed to The Game Business that not only did Oblivion's release not negatively impact Clair Obscur, but it actually enhanced the latter's success by increasing overall excitement for the RPG genre.

To provide some context, RPG enthusiasts faced a tough decision between immersing themselves in the vast world of Cyrodiil in Oblivion or embarking on a unique adventure to defeat the Paintress in Clair Obscur. The simultaneous release of both games sparked a mix of excitement and frustration among fans, as well as a witty remark from Kepler Interactive itself.

In a playful X/Twitter post, Kepler shared an edited image of Clair Obscur characters stepping into an Oblivion Gate, captioned "omg its like barbenheimer," humorously referencing the concurrent release of the films Barbie and Oppenheimer in 2023.

omg its like barbenheimer pic.twitter.com/TN1AFzdggc

— Kepler Interactive (@Kepler_Interact) April 22, 2025

Microsoft, the owner of Bethesda and a major backer of Clair Obscur since its reveal at an Xbox Showcase the previous year, faced criticism for the shadow-drop of Oblivion, especially since both titles were available on Game Pass from day one.

However, Handrahan reassured that there was no cause for concern. "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.

"By the time we launched, we had built our own momentum and felt confident that we could stand alongside Oblivion. Factors like our pricing strategy and inclusion in Game Pass also contributed to our confidence. We knew we would attract significant interest. The launch went as well as we could have hoped, and the proximity to Oblivion did not harm us at all. In fact, it drew more attention to quality RPGs that week, keeping the genre at the forefront of gamers' minds."

Bethesda reported that Oblivion Remastered has attracted over 4 million players since its launch, though specific sales figures have not been disclosed. It, too, has seen significant concurrent player numbers on Steam.

The Game Business cited data from Ampere indicating that 35% of Clair Obscur players also played Oblivion Remastered, highlighting a notable overlap. This overlap is largely attributed to both games being available on Game Pass, with a lower percentage of overlap observed among 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, every PC Cheat Code, and much more.

For those interested in Clair Obscur, don't miss our tips on the essential things to know before diving into the game.