Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 emerged from relative obscurity to dominate The Game Awards 2025, sweeping nine awards out of thirteen nominations, including Game of the Year. Naturally, the cosplay community was quick to respond. Model Lizzie Whistle’s recent portrayal of Luné-the expedition’s enigmatic cartographer and mage-captures the dark fantasy’s rich atmosphere with painstaking detail.
Meet Luné, cartographer and mage of Expedition 33
Luné is a 32-year-old serious and driven cartographer guiding the mysterious Expedition 33. Daughter to famed explorers who perished on Expedition 46, she’s committed to completing her parents’ legacy and unravelling the secret of the ”Artist,” a mysterious force behind a deadly cycle of disappearances. Her unyielding focus lets her push forward despite devastating losses, like the death of her comrade Gustav.
Gameplay-wise, Luné operates as a classic support mage but with a unique twist. Her abilities revolve around Elemental Stains-magical marks that accumulate on her glyph-weapon. Casting spells generates these stains, while opposing elemental stains can be consumed to trigger amplified effects such as boosted damage, extra hits, or reduced action point costs. Playing her demands a chess-like strategy: each move sets up the next.
Clair Obscur: from low-profile release to cultural phenomenon
Released on April 24, 2025, for PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was available on Xbox Game Pass day one. Developed by Montpellier-based indie studio Sandfall Interactive-founded by former Ubisoft developer Guillaume Brosse-the game quickly soared in popularity.
Sales numbers tell the real story:
- 500,000 copies sold in 24 hours
- 1 million copies sold within three days
- 2 million copies sold by day 12
- 3.3 million copies sold after just over a month
- 5 million copies sold by October 2025
This surprising runaway hit combines grim fantasy with the Belle Époque aesthetic of early 20th-century France, weaving a tale around the annual ”Hommage” ritual that claims the lives of all who reach a certain age.
Players follow 32-year-old Gustav, who has just one year left to live. After parting ways with his 33-year-old former lover Sophie, he joins Expedition 33 to break the cycle of death orchestrated by the sinister Artist.
Lizzie Whistle’s faithful Luné cosplay
Lizzie Whistle is known for cosplays that stick closely to source material, focusing on costume precision and mood-setting photography. Her Luné is no exception, with carefully applied rune tattoos, a meticulously styled wig, and a handcrafted leather vest adorned with signature metal studs and plates. Instead of using a typical studio backdrop, she incorporates dynamic lighting, falling petals, and wind-blown hair to evoke the shadowy coasts and eerie vibes central to Clair Obscur’s aesthetic.
Our cosplay section recently featured standout portrayals such as Lada Lumos’s Ciri from The Witcher 4, a flawless Emma Frost from Marvel Rivals, a Russian model’s Shadowheart from Baldur’s Gate 3, and Saya Fox’s embodiment of Queen Marika from Elden Ring. Compared to these, Lizzie’s Luné takes a different approach: trading boldness for atmosphere and exacting detail.
Cosplay fans and gamers alike will want to keep an eye on the growing community around Clair Obscur, as the game’s blend of intricate mechanics and story-driven design inspires more creators to explore its rich world. We can expect more characters from Expedition 33 to be brought to life with similar dedication. The cosplay scene’s rapid engagement suggests this dark fantasy is just beginning to leave its mark.