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Why did Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 lose its Indie Game Awards?
The game had initially won both Game of the Year and Debut Game at the 2025 Indie Game Awards. The organizers later rescinded both honors after Sandfall Interactive confirmed that generative AI had been used in making the game. PC Gamer reported that the awards body described a “hard stance against gen AI in videogames” and said Sandfall confirmed the use on the day of the game’s premiere. GameSpot and games.ch also reported the rescission.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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Clair Obscur Expedition 33 PS5 | $45.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (PS5) | $41.74 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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The Art of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 | $55.91 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Deluxe Edition - PC Steam [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51q7UwoLdTL._SL160_.jpg)
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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Deluxe Edition - PC Steam [Online Game Code] | $59.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Original Soundtrack) | $42.39 | Buy on Amazon |
The replacement winners were Blue Prince for Game of the Year and Sorry We’re Closed for Debut Game. The official Indie Game Awards 2025 page confirms the event, but does not provide the detailed eligibility wording or full rescission statement. The reported explanation is that the confirmation of generative-AI use disqualified Expedition 33 under the organizers’ position; the available account does not establish a more specific test or threshold for the rule.
What did the studio say about AI in the released game?
Game director Guillaume Broche gave a separate account of how the AI-generated material was used. In GamesRadar+’s report, he said generated textures had served as temporary placeholders during development and were removed after the team found them. He also said, “Everything in the game is human made.”
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#1 Best Overall
- Reactive Turn-based Combat: Craft unique builds for your Expeditioners that fit your playstyle via gear, stats, skills, and &character synergies
- Dodge, parry, and counter in real time, chain combos by mastering attack rhythms, and target enemy weak points using a free aim system
- With only one year left to live, join Gustave, Maelle, & fellow Expeditioners as they embark on a desperate quest to break Paintress’ cycle of death
- Explore an enchanting realm populated by adversaries; Wander through breathtaking landscapes, from Island of Visages to the Forgotten Battlefield
- Experience the debut game from Sandfall Interactive, fully realized in Unreal Engine 5 with stunning graphics and a heartbreaking soundtrack
That is Broche’s description of the finished game, not a reversal of the awards decision. The organizers’ reported rationale concerned confirmation that generative AI had been used in production, while the director said the placeholder textures did not remain in the released game. Those claims address different questions: eligibility under the award body’s stated stance, and what the studio says players encounter in the final release.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a ground-breaking turn-based RPG with unique real-time mechanics, making battles more immersive and addictive than ever.
- Explore a fantasy world inspired by Belle Époque France in which you battle devastating enemies.
Rank #3
Rank #2
- Reactive Turn-based Combat - In this evolution of JRPGs, real-time actions enhance the heart of turn-based combat. Build your party and level up six characters. Craft unique builds for your expeditioners that fit your playstyle via gear, stats, skills, and character synergies. Open an active dimension in combat - dodge, parry, and counter in real time, chain combos by mastering attack rhythms, and target enemy weak points using a free-aim system.
- “Tomorrow Comes” - With only one year left to live, join Gustave, Maelle, and their fellow Expeditioners as they embark upon a desperate quest to break the Paintress’ cycle of death. Follow the trail of previous expeditions and discover their fate. Get to know the members of Expedition 33 as they learn to work together against impossible odds.
- A Hauntingly Beautiful World - Explore an enchanting realm populated by surreal adversaries. Wander through breathtaking landscapes, from the Island of Visages to the Forgotten Battlefield, discovering secrets and hidden quests along the way. Find allies of fortune in creatures of legend and recruit a special companion who can access new travel methods and secret areas in the World Map.
- Experience the debut game from Sandfall Interactive, fully realized in Unreal Engine 5 with stunning graphics and a heartbreaking soundtrack.
- European/ UK version
What the decision does—and does not—mean
- It was specific to the Indie Game Awards. The two honors rescinded were that program’s Game of the Year and Debut Game awards.
- It was not a claim that every asset in the game was AI-generated. Broche characterized the textures as placeholders that were removed.
- It does not mean the game lost every Game of the Year award. The reporting describes this ceremony’s decision, not awards from other organizations.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
