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The debate over AI in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 resurfaced after Larian discussed experimenting with AI during development of its next Divinity game. That renewed attention brought Sandfall Interactive’s earlier use of AI-generated placeholder textures back into focus—and was followed by the Indie Game Awards revoking Clair Obscur’s Game of the Year and Debut Game awards.
Why did the Clair Obscur AI debate return?
On December 18, 2025, Millenium reported that criticism of Sandfall had resurfaced amid the discussion around Larian’s AI comments about Divinity. Sandfall had previously acknowledged using AI during development, and the game had been updated to remove AI-generated textures, according to Millenium’s report.
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The renewed discussion linked two separate stories: Larian’s account of exploring AI during production and questions about Sandfall’s earlier use of generated textures. The key distinction is whether AI was explored, used for temporary material, or contributed an asset that remained in a released game. Those are not interchangeable claims.
What did Sandfall say about AI in Expedition 33?
In an interview reported by Push Square on December 24, 2025, director Guillaume Broche described the textures as placeholders that remained in the released game unintentionally and were later replaced. He said the team had tried AI after the tools became available in 2022, but did not like the results. These are Sandfall’s explanations as quoted in Push Square’s coverage, not an independent audit of the game’s development.
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- 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
Broche also said, “everything in the game is human-made.” Read alongside his account of the placeholder textures, the statement appears to refer to the game as Sandfall intended it to be, rather than denying that generated textures had appeared in a release before being replaced. Broche said Sandfall’s future games would be made by humans.
What did Larian say about AI in Divinity?
In January 2026, Larian CEO and Divinity director Swen Vincke said the game would not contain GenAI art. GameSpot reported his statement from an AMA, along with the studio’s decision to refrain from using GenAI in concept-art development. Vincke said, “There is not going to be any GenAI art in Divinity.”
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- 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.
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Larian’s reported commitments also covered writing: writing director Adam Smith said generated text would not touch the game’s dialogue, journal entries, or other writing. The studio said it would continue evaluating AI in other parts of production. These are pre-release commitments, not confirmation of what the finished game will contain. The statements are reported in GameSpot’s coverage.
On concerns that generated assets might accidentally make it into the game, Larian publishing director Michael Douse was quoted by GamesRadar+ as saying, “We have good QA and leads.” That is the studio’s assurance about its process, not a detailed account of a specific asset-checking procedure; see GamesRadar+’s report.
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Why were Clair Obscur’s Indie Game Awards revoked?
On December 20, 2025, the Indie Game Awards reportedly revoked Clair Obscur’s Game of the Year and Debut Game awards. GameSpot’s account says the organizers had a strict no-GenAI rule, that Sandfall representatives had agreed no GenAI was used when submitting the game, and that Sandfall confirmed use on the day the ceremony premiered. The award decision and its rationale are reported in GameSpot’s coverage.
The available reporting does not establish that Sandfall intentionally misrepresented its use of AI. Nor does a claim that generated material was only a placeholder automatically settle eligibility: the reported rule concerned GenAI use, while the studio’s explanation concerned the purpose and eventual replacement of the textures. The exact wording of the award FAQ and Sandfall’s submission is not available in the cited coverage.
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How to read the three claims
| Question | What the reporting says | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Was AI explored? | Sandfall said it tried the tools; Larian said it continued exploring AI in parts of production. | Exploration alone does not show that generated content became a final creative asset. |
| Did generated material appear in a release? | Sandfall’s account, as reported by Push Square, is that placeholder textures remained unintentionally and were later replaced. | The reporting does not independently verify the development history or the replacement process. |
| Was the awards submission eligible? | Coverage says the organizers cited their no-GenAI rule, Sandfall’s submission agreement, and its later confirmation of use. | The primary rule text and application were not directly available in the cited reports, and intent is not established. |
| What will Divinity contain? | Larian said there would be no GenAI art or generated writing in the game. | These statements preceded release and are not proof of the finished game’s contents. |
What remains unclear
- The primary wording of the Indie Game Awards’ GenAI policy and Sandfall’s submission are not reproduced in the cited reporting.
- Sandfall’s statements about the placeholder textures and their replacement are attributed accounts, not independently verified production records.
- Larian’s statements describe its intended approach to Divinity before release; the finished game’s contents are not established by those statements.
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