Clair Obscur Director Replies To Backlash Regarding AI

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 enjoyed major success during award season, picking up multiple wins at The Game Awards and earning praise as one of the year’s standout indie titles.

That momentum shifted after backlash emerged around the use of AI-generated assets, sparking debate within the community and placing the game under scrutiny.

Backlash Over AI Use and Awards Rescinded

The controversy escalated when the Indie Game Awards revoked Clair Obscur’s Best Debut Game and Game of the Year awards, citing the show’s strict stance against generative AI.

Players had accused the game of being partially made with AI after spotting poster textures featuring distorted lettering and fake words commonly associated with AI-generated images.

The situation fueled online criticism and raised questions about transparency in development.

Director Addresses AI Accusations

During a developer Q&A with YouTuber Sushi, director Guillaume Brioche directly addressed the backlash. He explained that when generative AI tools emerged in 2022, development on Clair Obscur was already well underway.

The team briefly tested AI as a temporary solution for missing textures but quickly decided it felt wrong and abandoned the approach.

AI Assets Removed Early in Development

Brioche clarified that the AI-generated textures were placeholders that unintentionally slipped through quality assurance.

Once discovered, they were removed within five days and were never meant to be part of the final release. He stressed that their presence does not reflect the studio’s creative philosophy.

Future Projects Will Be Fully Human-Made

Responding to ongoing claims that Clair Obscur was made using AI, Brioche emphasized that the game’s content is human-created and confirmed the studio’s future direction.

He stated that upcoming projects will avoid AI entirely, reinforcing the team’s commitment to traditional development methods despite the growing use of generative tools across the industry.