Ex-PlayStation Boss Yoshida: Why Expedition 33 Shouldn't Be Called a “Turn-Based RPG”

A statement that makes you pay attention: Shuhei Yoshida, for years the head of PlayStation Worldwide Studios, has publicly revealed that he actively advised the team at Sandfall Interactive against marketing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as a “turn-based RPG.” His argument: The term is more likely to deter potential players than to pique their curiosity.

Why Did Yoshida Want to Avoid the Term “Turn-Based RPG”?

According to Yoshida, “turn-based” carries negative connotations in the Western market, especially for a broader audience. Many players associate the term with slow, outdated combat systems and thus avoid titles from the very first trailer, without seeing the actual quality of the gameplay. His advice to Sandfall Interactive: rather talk about the captivating presentation, the Belle Époque-inspired visuals, and the dynamic elements in the combat system than about the turn-based principle itself.

How Has the “Turn-Based” Label Affected the Perception of RPGs So Far?

This is not a new phenomenon. For years, the industry has debated how much the genre label deters Western buyers, even for Japanese RPG series like Final Fantasy or Persona, which are enormously successful internationally. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 itself demonstrates how little the combat system actually deterred players in the end: The game is now considered one of the highest-rated RPGs of recent years and has sold to a massive audience despite its “classic“ turn-based principle with real-time dodge and counter elements. This rather suggests that the combat system itself isn't the problem, but rather how it is communicated.

From our perspective, the statement primarily shows one thing: According to experienced industry insiders like Yoshida, marketing language can be decisive for success or failure, even before a single player picks up the controller. For upcoming studios with similarly bold combat systems, this should be food for thought – to rather show atmosphere and pace in trailers than to rely on genre labels.

Source: VGC, Eurogamer

What do you think of Yoshida's assessment – does the term “turn-based“ really deter you, or do you not care about the combat system as long as the game is good? Discuss with us in the comments!