Game prices are creeping up again. Bigger budgets, bigger marketing, bigger promises, and now bigger price tags. But not everyone is playing that game.

The publisher behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Kepler Interactive, is pushing back against what feels like inevitable AAA inflation. Speaking to the BBC, CEO Alexis Garavaryan made it clear: their strategy isn’t to test how much players will tolerate, it’s to make them feel like they’ve won.

Clair Obscur’s publisher on game prices

Instead of matching industry hikes, Kepler reportedly sets a price, then goes lower. The goal is to make every purchase feel like a bargain, not a risk. In a climate where one new AAA release can cost the same as several smaller titles combined, that positioning stands out.

And it’s working. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, developed by Sandfall Interactive, has been a breakout hit. Its striking art direction even sparked headlines abroad, with some reportedly mistaking its art book for museum-level work.

But this isn’t just about one game’s success. It’s about sustainability. Players are more cautious. Backlogs are bigger. Subscriptions compete for attention. If a single premium title costs as much as five strong mid-tier experiences, the maths becomes hard to ignore.

Whether other publishers follow is another story. For now, the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 price conversation feels like a rare moment where value, not just revenue, is leading the headline.

Want more updates like this? Click here.