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Broche expressed humility regarding their nominations, stating, “We’re grateful, but we honestly would have preferred to see these categories champion smaller studios that could benefit more from the exposure.” Despite this modesty, Clair Obscur secured victories over acclaimed titles like Blue Prince, Hades 2, and Hollow Knight: Silksong.
The situation highlights an ongoing debate regarding how The Game Awards defines “independent.” The industry often struggles with these distinctions—while some associate indie with self-publishing, others focus on the publisher’s scale. The conversation recalls the controversy surrounding Dave the Diver, which was widely perceived as indie despite being developed by a subsidiary of the multi-billion dollar corporation Nexon.
Guillermin’s point about the “cutoff” remains poignant. For instance, Kojima Productions operates independently and owns its IP, yet its collaborations with major publishers like Sony complicate its eligibility for indie awards. The lines between “Indie,” “Triple-I,” and “AA” remain frustratingly blurred.
This lack of clear categorization extends to other genres at The Game Awards as well. In previous years, titles like Sifu were nominated for Best Fighting Game despite being an action-brawler, while literal fighting games like the WWE series are often relegated to the Sports category. This year, the Fighting Game lineup even included an unreleased title and several re-releases, further highlighting the need for more transparent criteria.
Read more: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 director discusses balancing boss fights and FF10 influences.
Source: gamesradar.com
