Update: An apology to developer Dogubomb and publisher Raw Fury.
An earlier version of this article suggested that generative AI was used in the making of Blue Prince. However, Raw Fury has stated it does not use AI and was crafted completely by humans.
The Escapist wholeheartedly apologizes for the inconvenience caused by this error.
Edited story follows:
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was just stripped of its Game of the Year award from the Indie Game Awards due to AI use.
With Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 disqualified, the Indie Game Awards went to:
- Game of the Year: Blue Prince
- Debut Game: Sorry We’re Closed
AI has become a super touchy subject in the gaming community. So much so that I feel I shouldn’t even be writing this. But I feel I have to stick to my guns: AI is used in most games, and it’s normal.
Recently, the Indie Game Awards took back the Game of the Year award from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (which frankly has enough awards anyway) due to the studio’s admission that it used generative AI to create some assets that it didn’t mean to keep in the game upon its launch. Still, it forgot to remove an AI-created poster, which was enough to offend many gamers since the game is supposed to be about art.
A bit ironic, I’ll admit.
Even though it was patched out pretty quickly, the Indie Game Awards still felt that the use of AI at all was enough to strip Expedition 33 of its awards. This has caused a ton of controversy in the gaming community, with some believing it’s justified (it’s in the Indie Game Awards’ rules and they stuck to it) and others believing it’s a virtue signaling witch hunt.
Our own newsroom is a bit torn on the decision. Like yes, AI is cringe. AI is lazy. AI is using up water and taking jobs. AI sometimes creates slop. But it also can be a useful tool; one that is basically becoming the norm for almost every industry in some shape or form. It’s sort of like a boomer saying video games are the devil or saying the world was better without any phones. It’s fighting against new technology; a story that never ends.
Most games use AI. The real argument should be how they’re using it. Studios are proudly announcing the use of AI when it comes to NPC behavior, streamlining code and productivity, and creating stand-in art. Krafton going AI first and begging humans to quit? Bad. Developers using generative AI during crunch time to add in a few background details that will later be removed? Meh.
At this point, gamers have to pick and choose which studio they want to hate on for using AI while ignoring their favorite game’s AI use. It feels very performative. But I don’t expect anyone to listen to me – or anyone else on X. It’s just a discussion brewing in the gaming world that’s about to boil over.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Director Daniel Vávra came to the defense of Larian Studios a few days ago after the gaming community went after the CEO for admitting that it used AI. Vávra called the entire thing “AI hysteria.”
He said: “I’m no fan of AI generated art, but anyway, it’s time to face reality. AI is here to stay with us. As frightening as it may be, that’s the way it is.
“Personally, it scares me the most in the music because you can’t even recognise AI there anymore. On the other hand, you know what I hate most about making games? The fact that it takes seven years and 300 people and tens of millions of dollars to make.
“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.”
Vávra went on to say that AI may create some slop, but it may also create some masterpieces. Again, it’s all in the way that it’s used.
“Either way, there’s no stopping it,” he concluded.
AI is a sensitive subject and I’ve not tiptoed around it as carefully as I should have. Some studios are not using AI, I’m sure. But many are. I would say most are. I’m not trying to tell you that you should embrace AI or be scared of it. I’m just telling you that it’s already part of many games’ development processes in some way, and it will become more prominent as time goes on.
However, some studios like Raw Fury are still fighting the good fight.
Last Updated On: Dec 23, 2025 12:48 am CET