Indie Awards Revokes Clair Obscur GOTY Over Gen AI Use

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, fresh from winning Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2025, has lost two awards from the Indie Game Awards due to the use of generative AI in its development. The game, developed by Sandfall Interactive, included placeholder textures created with AI that slipped through quality assurance and were patched out five days after release.

The controversy resurfaced after comments from Sandfall co-founder François Meurisse about AI usage were highlighted amid backlash against Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke's statements on generative AI. The Indie Game Awards, which has a strict no-AI policy, retracted the Game of the Year and Debut Game awards, awarding them to Blue Prince and Sorry We’re Closed respectively.

Sandfall clarified that AI was used only for temporary placeholders, with no generative AI assets in the final game. This event underscores ongoing debates in the gaming industry about AI's role, with similar issues affecting titles from Ubisoft, Activision, and others. Vincke addressed the uproar by promising an AMA on Larian's development processes.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 secured Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2025, marking a high point for Sandfall Interactive. However, the Indie Game Awards later revoked this game's Game of the Year and Debut Game awards due to undisclosed use of generative AI.

The decision stemmed from the game's submission process, where a Sandfall Interactive representative confirmed no generative AI was used. Confirmation of AI art in production on the day of the Indie Game Awards 2025 premiere led to disqualification.

The awards shifted to other titles: Sorry We’re Closed received Debut Game, and Blue Prince took Game of the Year. Despite the retraction, the Indie Game Awards acknowledged Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as a wonderful game, but emphasized adherence to regulations.

Reasons for Disqualification

The Indie Game Awards maintains a firm policy against generative AI in nominations and the ceremony. The assets, though patched out, violated these rules.

Sandfall Interactive launched Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 with placeholder textures generated using AI. These were removed within five days of release, replaced by intended custom assets missed in the quality assurance process.

François Meurisse, co-founder and producer at Sandfall Interactive, commented on AI in a July interview: “We use some AI, but not much. The key is that we were very clear about what we wanted to do and what to invest in. And, of course, technology has allowed us to do things that were unthinkable a short time ago. Unreal Engine 5’s tools and assets have been very important in improving the graphics, gameplay, and cinematics.”

The studio later clarified in an updated statement that it used pre-existing assets from the Unreal Engine Marketplace, none created with AI. Experimentation with AI tools occurred in 2022 for temporary placeholders only, with no generative AI in the final product.

Post-Launch Patch Details

Instances of placeholder textures, including an AI-generated poster in the starting area, were removed shortly after launch. The studio emphasized contact with media in April to disclose asset sources.

The resurfacing of François Meurisse's comments occurred amid backlash to Swen Vincke's statements from Larian Studios. In a Bloomberg interview, Vincke described Larian pushing on generative AI for exploring ideas, fleshing out presentations, developing concept art, and writing placeholder text, though without major efficiency gains.

Swen Vincke responded to the controversy: “It’s been a week since we announced Divinity, our next RPG, and a lot has become lost in translation. Larian’s DNA is agency. Everything we work towards is to the benefit of our teams, games, and players. A better work day, and a better game. Our successes come from empowering people to work in their own way and bring the best out of their skill & craft, so that we can make the best RPGs we can possibly make. In that context, it would be irresponsible for us not to evaluate new technologies. However, our processes are always evolving, and where they are not efficient or fail to align with who we are, we will make changes. To give you more insight, we’ll do an AMA featuring our different departments after the holiday break, in which you’ll get the opportunity to ask us any questions you have about Divinity and our dev process directly. We’ll announce the date in the new year. In the meantime, I wish you all happy holidays!”

This ties into wider industry trends, with Ubisoft removing AI elements from Anno 117: Pax Romana after complaints. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 faced social media outcry over AI-generated images.

• 11 Bit Studios encountered backlash for undisclosed AI in The Alters.
• Frontier Developments dealt with similar issues in Jurassic World Evolution 3.
• EA CEO Andrew Wilson stated AI is at the core of their business.
• Square Enix reorganized with AI focus, leading to layoffs.

Generative AI remains a contentious topic in video game development. The Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 incident exemplifies scrutiny over undisclosed AI use, following trends like AI-Ghibli images earlier in the year.

Developers like Glen Schofield, creator of Dead Space, have detailed plans involving AI. Industry leaders view AI as transformative, yet fan and award body reactions highlight ethical and transparency concerns.

The Indie Game Awards' stance reflects a push for regulations, contrasting with studios evaluating AI for efficiency. This balance between innovation and authenticity continues to shape the sector.

Implications for Future Awards

Awards processes may tighten AI disclosures, influencing how developers integrate emerging technologies. The retraction serves as a precedent for compliance in indie gaming.

The revocation of awards for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 underscores the gaming industry's evolving stance on generative AI. While Sandfall Interactive maintains the AI was minimal and corrected, the episode reveals tensions between technological advancement and regulatory standards.

As studios like Larian Studios navigate similar debates, transparency emerges as key to maintaining trust. The promise of AMAs and clarifications signals a commitment to dialogue, potentially guiding ethical AI adoption. Ultimately, this controversy highlights the need for clear policies to foster innovation without compromising artistic integrity in game development.