The Indie Game Awards revoked Game of the Year and Debut Game honors from breakout RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on December 21, 2025, after the French studio Sandfall Interactive admitted to brief generative AI experimentation—despite no AI assets remaining post-launch. Awards reassigned to Blue Prince and Sorry We’re Closed, igniting backlash over strict indie AI policies.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a turn-based RPG from Montpellier-based Sandfall Interactive, launched in April 2025 to acclaim for its painterly visuals, tactical combat, and narrative. It sold over 3.3 million copies by May and 5 million by October, sweeping The Game Awards 2025 with a record nine wins, including Game of the Year.
The game initially won Game of the Year and Debut Game at the Indie Game Awards (IGA) premiere on December 18. However, three days later, organizers unanimously voted to revoke them, citing a violation of the event's strict no-generative-AI policy. Sandfall had confirmed no AI use in its submission but later disclosed limited 2022 experiments with AI for placeholder textures. Some evaded quality assurance and appeared at launch before a five-day patch replaced them with human-made assets.
In a July 19, 2025, response to an El País interview (where creative director François Meurisse noted 'We used some AI, but not much'), Sandfall emphasized no generative AI in the final game or pre-existing Unreal Engine Marketplace assets. French President Emmanuel Macron had previously praised it as a national achievement.
IGA maintains that any confirmed generative AI use disqualifies a game, regardless of scope or final inclusion, reassigning Debut Game to Sorry We’re Closed and Game of the Year to Blue Prince.
The decision, despite the AI issue being public since July, has fueled criticism. Reddit users like ExtendedSpikeProtein argued it was minor and typical prototyping: 'That kind of usage is exactly what AI is for... Mistakes happen.' Broshida questioned sustainability: 'This might be a pretty tough stance to uphold if more indie devs start using AI.' Others, including Material_Ad_554 and OkNectarine9239, called it performative, noting the timing after nominations.
