CLAIR OBSCUR: EXPEDITION 33 Stripped of Indie Game Awards Wins Over Generative AI Use
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been on an unreal awards streak. The RPG from Sandfall Interactive, published by Kepler Interactive, recently made headlines for taking home more trophies than any other game in The Game Awards history. But that momentum hit a sudden wall this week when two high-profile wins were officially taken away.
At the The Indie Game Awards 2025, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 originally walked away with Game of the Year and Debut Game. Even at the time, those wins sparked debate. The game doesn’t neatly fit most people’s idea of “indie,” given its publisher backing and a budget reportedly in the millions. Still, the trophies stood. At least for a moment.
Not long after the ceremony, the Indie Game Awards announced both awards had been revoked. The reason comes down to the use of generative AI. According to the organization, the game’s use of AI-generated assets during development violated its eligibility rules. The awards body also says that information wasn’t accurately disclosed during submission.
“The Indie Game Awards have a hard stance on the use of gen AI throughout the nomination process and during the ceremony itself,” the organization said in a statement.
“When it was submitted for consideration, a representative of Sandfall Interactive agreed that no gen AI was used in the development of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. In light of Sandfall Interactive confirming the use of gen AI art in production on the day of the Indie Game Awards 2025 premiere, this does disqualify Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from its nomination.”
The issue traces back to shortly after launch, when players noticed what appeared to be AI-generated textures in at least one area of the game. Screenshots circulated online, and not long after, Sandfall patched the textures out and replaced them. The update went live quietly, with no public explanation at the time.
That patch didn’t change the awards committee’s position.
“While the assets in question were patched out and it is a wonderful game, it does go against the regulations we have in place. As a result, the IGAs nomination committee has agreed to officially retract both the Debut Game and Game of the Year awards.”
With Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 disqualified, the Indie Game Awards reassigned both honors. Game of the Year now belongs to Blue Prince, while Debut Game has been awarded to Sorry We're Closed.
The situation lands at an awkward moment for Sandfall Interactive. The studio has been open about wanting to stay small and focused, with the game’s lead recently saying:
“We love making games more than we love managing,” adding that “it’s good to have limitations,” and that the team doesn’t plan to scale up for future projects. That philosophy has clearly worked creatively, even if this controversy has complicated the studio’s otherwise stellar year.
Despite the setback, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is still an incredible and beautifully made game, one of the most talked-about RPGs of the year. The awards may be gone, but the larger conversation around the use of AI in modern game development isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.