The Indie Game Awards snatches back two trophies from Clair Obscur over its use of generative AI

The Indie Game Awards revoked two awards from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, including Game of the Year and Debut Game, due to the developer's use of generative AI. The awards ceremony's rules explicitly ban the use of generative AI during game development. Sandfall Interactive admitted to using AI for placeholder textures, some of which inadvertently made it into the final game. The Indie Game Awards stated this breached their regulations, disqualifying Clair Obscur from its nominations. The company, Six One Indie, was criticized for not discovering the AI use earlier. Sandfall had agreed during the submission process that no generative AI was used. The awards were then re-awarded to the second-highest scoring games in each affected category. Despite the controversy, Clair Obscur initially had a successful night at the awards, winning multiple prizes. The game had previously achieved significant sales, indicating its popularity. The use of AI in a game's creation can be a complex issue, causing repercussions for the developers.