The gaming community erupted in debate after the Indie Game Awards announced the unprecedented decision to strip the RPG hit Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 of its top honors. The disqualification stems from allegations regarding the use of generative AI during the title’s production. In a recent private session with influencers, Sandfall Interactive’s game director, Guillaume Broche, addressed the growing controversy, aiming to dispel misinformation and clarify the French studio’s stance on AI technology.
Detailed insights from the Q&A session were shared by gaming content creator Sushi, who attended the meeting. During the discussion, Twitch personality crizco cited the previous backlash faced by Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian Studios over similar AI admissions, asking Broche to define the scope of AI usage in Clair Obscur and its role in the studio’s future workflow.
“Every element within the game is a product of human creativity,” Broche asserted. “When generative AI began gaining traction in 2022, development was already well underway. We explored it as a potential tool, but the results were unsatisfactory. It simply felt wrong.”
Broche acknowledged a very brief period of experimentation where the team utilized AI to fill in missing textures, though he characterized this as a momentary lapse. “We purged those elements as soon as they were identified,” Broche explained. “The core pillars—concept art, voice acting, and asset creation—remain entirely human-made.”
Drawing a definitive line, Broche noted that while the industry’s long-term relationship with AI remains unpredictable, Sandfall’s commitment remains clear: “Everything will be authored by us, by humans.”
Despite these clarifications, the Indie Game Awards has maintained its hardline stance. According to an updated FAQ on the organization’s website, the mere confirmation that AI was used at any stage of production is grounds for disqualification. “This fact alone excludes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from award eligibility,” the statement reads.
The situation is further complicated by Sandfall’s transparency. Earlier in 2025, developers at the studio had openly discussed using AI-generated art for internal placeholders. Upon the game’s launch, eagle-eyed players spotted a few textures that appeared to be AI-derived, though these were isolated to a single object among thousands of assets. The studio’s rapid patching of these items suggests they were remnants of early technical tests rather than a deliberate development strategy.
For many purists, any engagement with generative AI represents a moral breach in the realm of digital art. However, as the gaming industry faces increasing pressure from leadership to adopt labor-saving technologies, the boundary between “acceptable” and “unacceptable” usage remains blurred. While studios like Larian have used AI for administrative tasks or internal drafting without compromising the artistic integrity of their final products, the Indie Game Awards views Sandfall’s situation as a matter of transparency.
The organization justified the retraction by alleging a lack of honesty during the initial entry process. “When the game was submitted, a Sandfall representative confirmed that no generative AI was involved in the development of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33,” the FAQ claims.
The organizers concluded by acknowledging the evolving nature of the industry: “As generative AI becomes more commonplace, we will continue to refine our guidelines. We are a small, ambitious team, and the Indie Game Awards relies on the support and integrity of the community to grow.”
Source: Polygon
