Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been disqualified from the 2025 Indie Game Awards (IGA) after organizers determined that generative AI had been used during development. Their rules ban generative AI at any stage of production, even if the assets are later removed before launch.
According to reports, the developer stated during submission that no generative AI had been used. On the day of the awards, the game’s producer acknowledged that AI had been used at some point.
The committee behind the Indie Game Awards nor Sandfall Interactive (the studio that made Clair Obscur) haven’t publicly disclosed what led to this decision.
It’s speculation that the use of gen AI for placeholder art that was accidentally left in the game after launch is the problem. All traces of the placeholder art were removed in a patch.
As a result, Clair Obscur was stripped of its honors of Debut Game and Game of the Year. The awards were given to the runner-ups, with Sorry We’re Closed taking Debut Game and Blue Prince receiving Game of the Year.
Everybody Knew About the Placeholder Art
What’s frustrating is that the placeholder AI art has been public knowledge for MONTHS!
It’s been debated on X/Twitter and Reddit threads. Many articles have been written about it by the media.
The problem I have is that the Indie Game Awards waited until after the ceremony was over to do anything. If it was really troubled by the idea that gen AI was used, it should have disqualified Clair Obscur sooner.
Retroactive Enforcement Is Not Accountability
The Indie Game Awards’ defense rests on developer self attestation. Sandfall Interactive claimed that no AI was used, so the game was considered for nomination. It’s only when the studio admitted they’d lied that the organizers decided to act.
The IGA can’t have a hard stance against generative AI, yet have a hands-off approach to enforcement. They should have disqualified Clair Obscur the minute news of the placeholder art went viral. There should have been an investigation, something that sent a message that their rules will be respected no matter how popular your game is.
Instead, the Indie Game Awards chose the worst possible moment to enforce their policy.
The Problem This Creates for Developers
One problem the Indie Game Awards is going to have to deal with is that more game developers are using generative AI. They use it during production, then remove all traces of it from the final product.
Now thanks to what’s happening with Clair Obscur, many developers are going to lie on their submissions. They’re going to claim they didn’t use AI and pray they don’t get caught.
That’s a dangerous precedent for an industry struggling with rapid growth of AI.
There is a Middle Ground
It would make more sense for the IGA to change their rules
Rather than ban the use of generative AI at every stage of development, they could narrow their focus. Instead, IGA could ban the inclusion of AI in a game after its release.
That would be a fair compromise. This approach would still protect artists while acknowledging how modern game development works.
Awards exist to celebrate excellence. They’re supposed to be the authority on what’s the best of the best. Stripping a game of its wins after the ceremony does the exact opposite. It weakens what little trust gamers have towards these types of awards.
Instead of taking back their awards, the Indie Game Awards should be asking why they allowed this situation to happen. Until they come up with a satisfying answer, this controversy won’t be remembered as a stand against AI. This snafu will be used as a sign that award committees are out of touch with the industries they’re representing.
