Indie Game Awards retracts Expedition 33 prizes due to generative AI

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 had earned another Game of the Year award by the Indie Game Awards last week, but the organization has since announced that the award would be retracted because developer Sandfall Interactive used generative AI during development. The Indie Game Awards also rescinded the Debut Game award given to Expedition 33.

Here is the Indie Game Awards’ explanation, from an FAQ:

The Indie Game Awards have a hard stance on the use of gen AI throughout the nomination process and during the ceremony itself. When it was submitted for consideration, a representative of Sandfall Interactive agreed that no gen AI was used in the development of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. In light of a resurfaced interview with Sandfall Interactive confirming the use of gen AI art in production being brought to our attention on the day of the Indie Game Awards 2025 premiere, this does disqualify Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from its nomination. While the assets in question were patched out and it is a wonderful game, it does go against the regulations we have in place.

The Indie Game Awards’ criteria, as outlined in that FAQ, says that “Games developed using generative AI are strictly ineligible for nomination.” Sandfall Interactive didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.

Game of the Year is instead being awarded to puzzle game Blue Prince. Publisher Raw Fury said on Sunday that “there is no AI used in Blue Prince” and that the game “was built and crafted with full human instinct” by Tonda Ros and the Dogubomb team.

“As gen AI becomes more prevalent in our industry, we will better navigate it appropriately,” the Indie Game Awards says.

The Indie Game Awards is also retracting an Indie Vanguard award from studio Gortyn Code, which developed the Game Boy-inspired game Chantey. The game is sold on a physical cartridge by Palmer Luckey’s ModRetro, which makes the Chromatic Game Boy. Luckey also founded defense contractor Andruil, and Chromatic recently announced an Andruil-branded Chromatic made from “the same magnesium aluminum alloy as Anduril’s attack drones.”

“The IGAs nomination committee were unfortunately made aware of ModRetro’s nature and principles the day after the 2025 premiere with the news of their upcoming handheld console,” the Indie Game Awards says. Because of Chantey’s ties with ModRetro, “Indie Vanguard has also been retracted as we do not want to provide the company with a platform.” The organization also says that “The decision does not reflect Gortyn Code, but ModRetro alone.”