According to Polygon, the turn-based RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won both Game of the Year and Debut Game at the Indie Game Awards on Thursday, December 19th, 2025. By Saturday, December 20th, the awards were retracted. The organizer states that developer Sandfall Interactive had initially agreed no generative AI was used during submission, but then confirmed its use on the day of the awards premiere. Though the AI assets were patched out quickly after launch, their initial inclusion was enough for disqualification. The Debut Game award now goes to We’re Closed and Game of the Year to Blue Prince, with acceptance speeches expected in early 2026.
The AI art patch and public backlash
Here’s the thing: this wasn’t a secret, exactly. Sandfall’s CEO, François Meurisse, admitted in a June 2025 interview with El País that they used “some AI, but not much.” The game launched with textures that players on Reddit and X suspected were AI-generated, which were then replaced in a swift patch. But the backlash was relatively muted compared to the firestorm around games like The Alters. So why did it cost them the award? Basically, because they told the awards body one thing during submission and then, on the big day, had to confirm the opposite. It’s a breach of trust, not just a tech policy violation.
A shifting line in the sand
This incident highlights the incredibly messy, evolving standards around AI in game dev. The Indie Game Awards have a clear, zero-tolerance rule stated in their FAQ. But the industry itself is all over the map. Just last week, Larian’s Swen Vincke said they’re using AI tools for the next Divinity game, sparking a whole news cycle. Sandfall’s stance—that tech lets them do “unthinkable” things—is a common justification. But for an awards body catering to an indie community where artistic integrity is paramount, any use is a disqualifier. The question is, how many other games are in a similar gray zone, using AI in early prototyping or for placeholder assets that get replaced?
The real stakeholder impact
For Sandfall and publisher Kepler Interactive, this is a brutal PR hit. You go from the peak of indie recognition to having your awards physically taken back in 48 hours. That stain doesn’t wash off easily. For the awards themselves, it’s a credibility *boost*—they enforced their rules strictly, even when it was awkward. And for the developers of We’re Closed and Blue Prince, it’s a wild, unexpected victory. Imagine thinking you lost, then getting a call saying “actually, you won.” Their acceptance speeches in 2026 will be fascinating. But the biggest impact is on all developers now submitting to festivals and awards. The message is clear: be *painfully* transparent about your tools, because getting caught after the fact is worse. The line between a useful tool and a disqualifying crutch has been drawn, and it’s non-negotiable for some.
