Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 had earned one other Sport of the Yr award by the Indie Sport Awards final week, however the group has since introduced that the award can be retracted as a result of developer Sandfall Interactive used generative AI throughout improvement. The Indie Sport Awards additionally rescinded the Debut Sport award given to Expedition 33.
Right here is the Indie Sport Awards’ rationalization, from an FAQ:
The Indie Sport Awards have a tough stance on using gen AI all through the nomination course of and through the ceremony itself. When it was submitted for consideration, a consultant of Sandfall Interactive agreed that no gen AI was used within the improvement of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. In gentle of a resurfaced interview with Sandfall Interactive confirming the use of gen AI art in manufacturing being dropped at our consideration on the day of the Indie Sport Awards 2025 premiere, this does disqualify Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from its nomination. Whereas the assets in question were patched out and it’s a great sport, it does go in opposition to the rules we now have in place.
The Indie Sport Awards’ standards, as outlined in that FAQ, says that “Video games developed utilizing generative AI are strictly ineligible for nomination.” Sandfall Interactive didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Sport of the Yr is as an alternative being awarded to puzzle game Blue Prince. Writer Uncooked Fury mentioned on Sunday that “there isn’t a AI utilized in Blue Prince” and that the sport “was constructed and crafted with full human intuition” by Tonda Ros and the Dogubomb crew.
“As gen AI turns into extra prevalent in our trade, we are going to higher navigate it appropriately,” the Indie Sport Awards says.
The Indie Sport Awards can be retracting an Indie Vanguard award from studio Gortyn Code, which developed the Sport Boy-inspired sport Chantey. The sport is bought on a bodily cartridge by Palmer Luckey’s ModRetro, which makes the Chromatic Sport Boy. Luckey additionally based protection contractor Andruil, and Chromatic just lately introduced an Andruil-branded Chromatic comprised of “the identical magnesium aluminum alloy as Anduril’s assault drones.”
“The IGAs nomination committee have been sadly made conscious of ModRetro’s nature and rules the day after the 2025 premiere with the information of their upcoming handheld console,” the Indie Sport Awards says. Due to Chantey’s ties with ModRetro, “Indie Vanguard has additionally been retracted as we don’t wish to present the corporate with a platform.” The group additionally says that “The choice doesn’t replicate Gortyn Code, however ModRetro alone.”