The Indie Game Awards revoked Game of the Year and Debut Game wins from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 after developer Sandfall Interactive confirmed generative AI use for placeholder textures, violating the event's strict no-AI policy. Awards reassigned to Blue Prince and Sorry We're Closed, sparking debate over enforcement timing and indie AI rules.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a turn-based RPG from France's Sandfall Interactive, launched in April 2025 to critical acclaim for its visuals and combat, selling 3.3 million copies by May and 5 million by October. It dominated The Game Awards with a record nine wins, including Game of the Year, and earned praise from French President Emmanuel Macron.
At the Indie Game Awards 2025 premiere on December 18, organized by Six One Indie, the game initially won Game of the Year and Debut Game. However, organizers revoked them days later—unanimously on December 21—after Sandfall confirmed limited 2022 generative AI experiments for placeholder textures. Some evaded QA and appeared at launch but were patched out within five days with human-made assets.
Sandfall had assured no AI use during submission, but reports surfaced earlier: a Twitter post by Nyanomancer on April 26 highlighted AI textures, followed by a July 19 El País interview where creative director François Meurisse acknowledged minor use. IGA's FAQ deems any generative AI 'strictly ineligible,' regardless of final inclusion.
Six One Indie stated: "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. While the assets in question were patched out and it is a wonderful game, it does go against the regulations we have in place."
Criticism mounted over the timing, as AI use was public for months. Reddit users called it 'performative' and typical prototyping; others questioned policy sustainability as AI adoption grows. As previously reported in this series, the decision underscores tensions around AI in indie development.
