Six One Indie Revokes Expedition 33 Awards Over AI Use

Six One Indie organisers have stripped Expedition 33 of its Game of the Year and Debut Game awards, citing a strict no–generative AI policy. The honours were reassigned to the runners-up, Blue Prince and Sorry We’re Closed.

In an official statement, the awards body said developer Sandfall Interactive confirmed on the day of the ceremony that generative AI was used during development, despite previously stating otherwise when submitting the game for consideration. This was deemed a clear violation of the rules, leading to disqualification.

Reddit users suggest AI may have been used to create newspaper textures, which were later removed from the game. Despite the controversy, Expedition 33 remained one of the biggest winners at The Game Awards, claiming multiple major accolades and missing out only on Best Audio Design and the fan-voted Players’ Voice award.