Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has become a global phenomenon, raking in numerous Game of the Year awards and selling millions of copies since its release. Its immense success is undeniable and well-documented within the gaming community.
However, not everyone involved with the project anticipated such a blockbuster triumph. A notable example is Ben Starr, the esteemed voice actor behind Verso, one of the RPG’s pivotal characters.
Ben Starr’s Unexpected Outlook on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
In a recent discussion with Alexa Ray Corriea, a narrative designer for Aztech: Forgotten Gods, on the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences YouTube channel, Starr shed light on his initial reservations. “2025 was an interesting year for me because I remember talking to you about Expedition 33 coming out and containing a lot of people’s excitement,” he explained.
Starr admitted that he typically avoids over-hyping products he’s involved in, preferring to let the games speak for themselves and prove their quality. Yet, in the specific case of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, he was genuinely convinced it wouldn’t become a massive hit.
“It wasn’t a lack of faith in the video game itself,” Starr clarified. “I believed in the quality of that material long before it was published.” He added that everyone he spoke with knew “how excited I was for the video game,” but he also stated that “no one could have predicted” the eventual level of commercial success.
In fact, Starr humorously believed his most memorable achievement in 2025 would be dressing up as a Balatro clown at the BAFTA Awards. He thought “being an idiot” would leave a more lasting impression than his significant contribution to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Evidently, he was mistaken.
Furthermore, Starr expressed concern that the market might draw the wrong conclusions from the unprecedented success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, fearing that the industry could misinterpret the true reasons behind its triumph.