"Don't be lazy f**ko's": Retro games legend reacts to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 AI controversy, reminding devs to "pay for your stuff"

A screenshot from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 showing Maelle fighting an enemy. — (Image credit: Sandfall Interactive)

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer Sandfall Interactive used some generative AI technology while creating the monumentally successful JRPG, and the gaming industry has some thoughts.

Most notably, the Indie Game Awards rescinded Expedition 33's Game of the Year win after discovering, as Sandfall explained to Spanish magazine El País, generative AI was used to create a few temporary textures – which were then removed within five days of the game's launch. Still, for some developers, there's no generative AI transgression too small.

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"Don't be lazy fucko's and pay for your stuff, is the message here....." Seavor says, adding in another post, "Although, this is a lot more common than you'd guess.... In all honesty i can't even be sure i wouldn't have used it for more finished pre-vizing (execs are fucking morons when it comes to demos) back in the day...... (although never actual assets, temporary of otherwise.. that really is lazy)."

Indie developer and streamer PeachyAenne says on Bluesky, "Love to see a community come together on important issues and stand by them." Though, it's worth noting that the gaming community – indie or otherwise – can't quite decide on what the right approach to AI use is. Only last week, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 writer Daniel Vávra admitted, "If AI can help me make an epic game in a year with a smaller team like in the old days, I'm all for it."