“Is Clair Obscur Not Indie Because of Marketing?” Palworld Studio Defends Expedition 33 and Redefines the Label
Where does indie game development actually end when a thirty-person team can deliver visuals that rival hundred-million-dollar blockbusters? As social media debates flare up once again over award categories and the true status of recent breakout hits, John "Bucky" Buckley, Head of Publishing and Communications at Pocketpair (Palworld) and lead of Pocketpair Publishing, stepped onto X to directly defend French studio Sandfall Interactive and its acclaimed RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
“Is It Really Fair to Say Expedition 33 Isn't Indie Just Because Someone Helped With Marketing?”
Ever since its reveal and subsequent recognition in independent categories at major ceremonies like The Game Awards, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and its 8.7 million copies sold have repeatedly drawn pushback from a vocal subset of purists. Their main complaint centers on the fact that Montpellier-based Sandfall Interactive partnered with publisher Kepler Interactive to handle global distribution and promotional campaigns, which critics claim should automatically disqualify the title from competing alongside self-published projects.
When pressed on Expedition 33 in the replies to his post, John Buckley dismantled the argument by pointing out how illogical it is to judge creative status by promotional logistics: "Is it really fair to say E33 isn't indie just because someone helped with marketing?" To drive the point home, the Pocketpair executive drew a direct parallel with Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone and his farming phenomenon: "Can we really say 'Stardew Valley isn't indie because Chucklefish helped out with some marketing years ago?' I think there's a lot of nuance to the label now."
From Palworld to Stardew Valley: Why the Line Between Indie and AA Has Become So Blurred
According to John Buckley, traditional definitions of an independent studio have fractured as funding and publishing models evolved. He first pointed to the paradox surrounding his own company: "We consider ourselves indie because we have zero outside investment or backing. Palworld and Pocketpair are entirely self-funded, but it's understandable that our success makes people see us differently." Despite being 100% self-owned and free to reject the Fortnite live-service playbook for Palworld, the Japanese developer frequently sees its indie credentials challenged simply because of its massive revenue and expanding headcount.
On the flip side, the wider industry has seen the boundaries between indie, AA, and corporate backing blur completely in recent years. The debate erupted previously around Dave the Diver at The Game Awards, whose charming pixel-art aesthetic was built by Mintrocket, a wholly owned subsidiary of South Korean giant Nexon. Meanwhile, studios like Larian Studios built Baldur's Gate 3 with over four hundred developers while remaining fiercely independent of public shareholders, and Pocketpair Publishing now funds external teams such as Surgent Studios while leaving 100% of the creative vision in the developers' hands.
“Creative Control Is King”: The Only Metric That Separates True Indies From Corporate Mandates
Pushing back against commenters who try to enforce arbitrary headcount caps ("if you're over X people then you aren't indie"), the Pocketpair Publishing lead argued that only one principle truly matters in 2026: complete freedom from external interference. "For me, creative independence is probably the most important factor. If a studio has genuine creative freedom, then I think it's fair to consider them independent," Buckley wrote, before defining where the real line lies: "If another entity is exerting creative pressure or making decisions for a studio, then I think that independence becomes questionable."
In Buckley's view, signing a publishing deal or securing external capital to get a game across the finish line does not turn a passionate team into a corporate subcontractor: "Even then, plenty of studios receive external funding while retaining complete creative control. I don't think having a publisher or investor automatically makes a studio any less indie. Creative control is king." And if purists still prefer to categorize ambitious mid-sized productions as "AA" or "III" (triple-I), Pocketpair's communications chief noted that the label itself matters far less than keeping developers in full command of their craft.
My Take
These endless purity tests on X over whether thirty developers in Montpellier suddenly stop being indie the moment a partner helps pay for trailers and retail distribution are completely detached from reality. Bucky nails the only metric that actually matters in this industry: who holds the pen when final design decisions are made? As long as no boardroom of suited shareholders can walk into Sandfall Interactive or Pocketpair to force a seasonal Battle Pass, a predatory cosmetic shop, or a sanitized checklist onto the team, they embody the independent spirit far better than any arbitrary headcount ever could.
SEO consultant for over 20 years and digital entrepreneur, Charles "Grimtag" is the founder of Pro-Gamer.gg, Retrocharting.com, and Gamescharting.com. A competitive gamer, streamer, and retro game collector, he has worked in the video game industry for over 15 years, notably as a consultant for leading game price comparison platforms. Passionate about real-time performance data and gaming technology, he analyzes competitive esports, gaming hardware benchmarks, and creator workflows on Pro-Gamer.gg with an authentic player perspective.
