In an unexpected turn of events for the gaming world, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 finds itself launching the same week as the surprise release of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered. The publisher, Kepler Interactive, took to their official Twitter (X) account on April 22 to address the situation, humorously likening it to the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon from July 2023. This cultural event saw fans flocking to see the contrasting movies, Barbie and Oppenheimer, back-to-back, creating a unique and memorable cinematic experience. Kepler Interactive's comparison highlights the stark thematic differences between the vibrant, adventurous world of Expedition 33 and the darker, more intense atmosphere of Oblivion Remastered.

Despite the formidable competition posed by Oblivion's shadow drop, the team behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 remains steadfast in their decision to proceed with their planned release schedule. This bold move underscores their confidence in the game's appeal and its ability to stand out amidst the buzz surrounding Oblivion Remastered.

Kepler Interactive Compares It To Barbenheimer

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been steadily ramping up towards its launch date when suddenly, Bethesda shadow dropped the widely-rumored The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered. The game’s publisher, Kepler Interactive, acknowledged the situation on their official Twitter (X) on April 22, jokingly comparing the situation with the Barbenheimer phenomenon.

As pop-culture fans may remember, the term Barbenheimer was used to describe the phenomenon when the two highly anticipated movies, Barbie and Oppenheimer, had a same-day premiere for the general public in July 2023. The glaring differences between Barbie’s jolly-pink aesthetic against Oppenheimer’s dark and gritty themes became a meme among avid moviegoers, wherein fans would go to back-to-back screenings of both movies, clad in bright whites and pinks in one, and then change to monotone greys in the other. The publisher used the Barbenheimer event as a metaphor for the same-week release of Expedition 33 and Oblivion Remastered.

With the sudden release of Oblivion Remastered, fans are now curious as to how Expedition 33 will respond. Despite many developers opting to move release dates to give way to other games that may steal their spotlight, Expedition 33 seems intent on pushing forward with its scheduled launch.

Releasing On All Platforms At The Same Time Worldwide

Ahead of its upcoming release, Expedition 33 posted the official times the game will unlock worldwide. According to the post, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will have a simultaneous release for all platforms synced to April 24, 3 a.m. ET / 12 a.m. PT.

You can check out the timetable below to find out what time the title becomes available in your region:

Clair Obscur: Expedition is set to release on April 24, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. To stay up to date with the latest information about the game, click on our article below!