A former PlayStation executive has said it is "really funny" that turn-based JRPGs have become so popular, given that he once advised the developers of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 against using the term to describe their game. His comments reflect on how a genre once considered a hard sell to Western audiences and publishers has since found major mainstream success, seemingly proving that earlier industry caution around the "turn-based JRPG" label was overly conservative.

The remark centres on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a French-developed role-playing game that adopts classic turn-based combat and went on to become a breakout critical and commercial hit. The former PlayStation boss's advice not to lean on the "JRPG" or "turn-based" descriptors reportedly stemmed from concerns that such terms could put off a wider audience, an assumption the game's subsequent success appears to have undercut.