Square Enix and Expedition 33 devs spark collab rumors after surprise studio visit

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This week, the group responsible for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 made a trip to Square Enix, sparking immediate discussions about potential upcoming collaborations.

The leadership team at Sandfall Interactive, notably Guillaume Broche and François Meurisse, have consistently shown their deep affection for the Final Fantasy series in an unambiguous manner.

Broche expressed his affection for JRPGs such as Final Fantasy and the Tales series, referring to both classic and modern Final Fantasy games as significant influences. Meurisse reminisced about Final Fantasy 10, 7, 8, and 9 as cherished childhood titles and cornerstones of design. Their concept for turn-based combat, heartfelt narratives, and lively party interactions seems to draw heavily from the era of Square Enix RPGs.

As a passionate fan, I couldn’t help but notice that the arrival of the team behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 at Square Enix felt more than just a casual visit to me. It was as if the stars had aligned, and the universe was hinting at something extraordinary!

Fans celebrate the visit and hope for a Final Fantasy crossover

On the 24th of July, Broche (the creative director), Meurisse (producer), Tom Guillermin (art director), and Alexis Garavaryan (CEO of Kepler) were invited for what Square referred to as a “productive discussion filled with creative visions and thoughts.

Guillaume Broche, Francois Meurisse, Tom Guillermin from Sandfall, along with Alexis Garavaryan from Kepler – the creators of EXPEDITION 33 – paid a visit to Square Enix’s office for an enriching exchange of creative ideas and visions.

— 浜口直樹 / FFVII REMAKE is coming to Switch2 & XBOX🎉 (@nhamaguc) July 24, 2025

Given the studio’s widely acknowledged appreciation, it didn’t take long for spectators to pose the expected query: was this encounter merely a discussion, or perhaps the beginning of something deeper?

Online responses were swift. “Are you perhaps planning a collaboration to create a Final Fantasy 18 title?” speculated one fan.

It seems someone stated, “This must certainly fill them with pride! Based on my understanding, E33 appears to have been greatly influenced by FFX.

‘I’m genuinely thrilled that they were invited by their role models. It would be great if more businesses followed suit.’

It’s quite apparent that the comparisons are clear. Expedition 33, much like Final Fantasy 10, employs a turn-order system. The emotional narrative and party interactions mirror those found in Final Fantasy 15. Additionally, its art style, reminiscent of hand-painted works, and dreamlike worldbuilding share similarities with entries such as 9 and 10. Furthermore, the music in Expedition 33 is molded around the atmosphere of classic Final Fantasy soundtracks.

While I was in Japan, I was fortunate enough to swing by Kojima Productions too, as documented by Hideo Kojima himself. The photos he shared showcased our team from Sandfall, exploring the esteemed workspace of this legendary game developer.

As of yet, there’s been no public confirmation of a partnership between Square Enix and Sandfall Interactive. To date, neither company has disclosed plans for a joint project; their recent encounter appears to have merely been a studio meeting.

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2025-07-25 16:18