Has Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Opened the Door to Generative AI in Games?

At the very end of 2025, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 made waves for sweeping the award show, winning in just about every category it was nominated for. One of these many categories was Game of the Year, which also placed the work of indie developers on a bit of a pedestal. However, since this win, developer Sandfall Interactive has come clean about the use of generative AI in the development of the game.

The AI doesn’t appear in the final game, though the use of it has caused gamers across the globe to question what this really means for the future of the games industry.

AI: From Niche Support Tool to Mainstream Workflow

Game development has always been labour-intensive, with some games taking several years to cross the finish line. When it comes to Clair Obscur specifically, that number was between five and six years. The time it takes to create these projects sometimes does not supersede the cost required to both fund the development as well as ensure that employees have job security for the next project.

This is where generative AI promises to change that to help make teams more profitable while also putting out the designers’ and artists’ best work. When used responsibly, AI can handle repetitive or time-consuming tasks that otherwise wouldn’t be touched until the last moment or take time out of the development cycle.

In Clair Obscur, AI wasn’t present at all in the final product. The team at Sandfall Interactive confirmed that it was used to create placeholders that were later replaced by the work of real artists. However, many fans do not see it that way, which has resulted in such repercussions as the loss of their Game of the Year nomination at The Indie Game Awards.

Implications For Future Games and the Player Experience

Despite the fact that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was the one in all the headlines, the use of generative AI in gaming isn’t new. In fact, Codex Mortis has proudly named itself the very first playable game developed completely using AI. Independent developers are already using AI to prototype ideas for game jams and even hone in on different game mechanics or features.

In the context of UK online slots, games can feel way more personalised and less repetitive because of AI. The AI doesn’t change how the outcomes of the game end up, but rather takes the presentation to a whole new level.

A New Chapter in Game Development

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 didn’t just win a ton of awards; it sparked various conversations about the direction the gaming industry is headed, and what role generative AI will have.

While developers continue to explore the latest tools available to them, gamers will also continue to have opinions on them. We will likely see these innovations sprinkled in some of our favourite titles in the coming years. However, what players will really need to be on the lookout for is how thoughtful the use of AI is. Using generative tools just to push out a project is lazy, and players are not going to be able to look past the loss of intentional human artistry.