Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Disqualified and Lost All Awards

Key Takeaways

Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark

The Indie Game Awards 2025 disqualified Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for using generative AI in its development, which violated the competitions rules.
Initially awarded Game of the Year and Best Debut, these awards were rescinded and transferred to Blue Prince (Game of the Year) and Sorry Were Closed (Best Debut).
The disqualification was due to Sandfall Interactives late admission of AI usage, which was initially denied during the game submission review process.
This incident has sparked a discussion about the use of AI in game development, with industry figures like Larian Studios and Daniel Vávra weighing in on the topic of human creativity versus AI-generated tools.

Indie Game Awards 2025 – Clair Obscur Disqualified for AI Use Violates Rules

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, developed by Sandfall Interactive, was disqualified from the Indie Game Awards 2025 after the studio admitted to using generative AI in its development. The announcement came on the day of the awards ceremony, after voting had concluded and the show had already aired. This admission violated the Indie Game Awards’ rules, which prohibit the use of generative AI during game development. Initially, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 had been awarded both Game of the Year and Best Debut. However, Sandfall Interactive’s disclosure led the organizers to rescind the awards and transfer them to the runners-up: Blue Prince (Game of the Year) and Sorry We’re Closed (Best Debut). During the game submission review process, a representative from Sandfall Interactive had denied using any generative AI. The subsequent admission of AI usage led to the disqualification, highlighting the Indie Game Awards’ strict policy. While Sandfall Interactive has since removed the AI-generated assets from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, its initial release state violated the competition’s regulations.

AI Use in Game Development at Indie Game Awards 2025 – Clair Obscur Disqualified for Rule Violation

The Indie Game Awards clarified that the disqualification was a direct consequence of Sandfall Interactive’s late confirmation regarding the use of AI technology. “Although the issues were rectified and the game is excellent, it contravenes our current rules,” stated the IGA nominations committee in its official withdrawal of the Best Debut and Game of the Year awards. This incident has intensified the ongoing discussion about the use of AI in game development, a topic that has drawn attention from industry figures like Larian Studios (Baldur’s Gate 3) and Daniel Vávra, director of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. François Meurisse, a producer at Sandfall Interactive, acknowledged the use of generative AI in creating Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 during the Indie Game Awards 2025. This case contributes to the discussion about the role of AI in video game creation and the line between human creativity and AI-generated tools. Sources: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (gameclairobscurexpedition33548832) Blue Prince (https:www.polygon.comblueprince) Sorry We’re Closed (https:www.polygon.comwereclosed)

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