Sandfall Interactive’s breakout hit Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has had a meteoric rise, and now, a sudden fall from grace.
The indie darling, which scooped two wins at this year’s Indie Game Awards, has had both awards rescinded after the organisers flagged the developer’s use of AI.
In a statement, The Indie Game Awards confirmed that Clair Obscur was disqualified “in light of Sandfall Interactive confirming the use of gen AI on the day of the Indie Game Awards 2025 premiere.” Previously, the studio had assured organisers that no AI was involved in the game’s development. The announcement has now handed Game of the Year to Blue Prince, while Sorry We’re Closed takes the Debut Game crown.
Sandfall maintains the AI use was minor: temporary placeholder textures missed during QA, removed within five days, and 3D assets were sourced from the Unreal Engine Marketplace–not AI-generated. Producer François Meurisse previously told El País that AI was used “but not much,” insisting the studio was transparent about their process.
Despite the controversy, Expedition 33’s popularity remains undimmed. The title received a huge post-awards boost on Steam and consoles, aided by a fresh DLC drop. Even French President Emmanuel Macron has weighed in, congratulating Sandfall for the game’s success at The Game Awards.
Whether this marks the start of a wider reckoning for AI in indie gaming, or just a temporary blip for Clair Obscur, remains to be seen.
