Indie Game Awards pulls Expedition 33 awards due to generative AI

Light and Darkness: Expedition 33 It took home another Game of the Year award from the Indie Game Awards last week, but the organization has since announced that the award will be withdrawn because developer Sandfall Interactive used generative AI during development. The Indie Game Awards also eliminated the Debut Game Award given to Mission 33.

Here’s the explanation of the Indie Game Awards, From frequently asked questions:

The Indie Game Awards has a strict stance on the use of AGI throughout the nomination process and during the ceremony itself. When it was submitted for consideration, a Sandfall Interactive representative agreed not to use any type of artificial intelligence in the development of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. In light of the resurfaced interview with Sandfall Interactive confirms the use of AGI art In a production that was brought to our attention on the day of the premiere of the Indie Game Awards 2025, this disqualifies Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from its nomination. while The assets in question have been corrected It’s a great game, it goes against our regulations.

The Independent Games Awards criteria, as explained in the FAQ, state that “games developed using generative AI are strictly ineligible for nomination.” Sandfall Interactive did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Instead the Game of the Year is awarded Puzzle game Blue Prince. said publisher Raw Fury Sunday that “there is no AI used in Blue Prince” and that the game was “designed and crafted with complete human instinct” by Tonda Ros and the Dogubomb team.

“As AI becomes more prevalent in our industry, we will better treat it appropriately,” the Independent Games Awards say.

The Indie Game Awards are also raffling off the 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. Lucki also founded the defense contractor Andruil, and Chromatic recently announced Andruil-branded Chromatic made from “the same aluminum-magnesium alloy used in Anduril’s attack drones.”

“Unfortunately, the IGAs nominating committee of the nature and principles of ModRetro was informed the day after the 2025 premiere of news of their upcoming portable console,” the Indie Game Awards says. because of Shanti Relations with ModRetro, “Indie Vanguard has also been withdrawn because we do not want to provide the company with a platform.”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.”