The 33rd Expedition’s Indie Game Awards Award Revocation Incident
The recent revocation of the 33rd Expedition’s award caused quite a stir in the indie game industry. The use of AI-generated images was at the center of controversy, and the revocation sparked debates about the ethics of AI use, with some even devaluing AI-powered creations.
Judging from the statement released by the Indie Game Awards, the organizers of the awards have strict rules and stances on the use of generative AI in game development, and accordingly, the disqualification of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which partially used generative AI art, seems to be a natural result.
While the Indie Game Awards certainly deserve recognition for their pure passion and dedication to development, I hope this issue doesn’t lead to any developers feeling a twinge of guilt about using generative AI in their indie games.
So, for indie game developers, is AI something to be avoided, or is it a tool they should actively utilize? Amidst the controversy surrounding the Indie Game Awards, we must not lose sight of this crucial question.
The indistinguishable future has already arrived.
Given the pace of technological advancement, it will soon become difficult to distinguish between human-created and AI-generated works. Just a few months ago, we were saying, “Generative AI art struggles to strike a tone and tone,” but now many indie game developers, including Google’s NanoBanana, are actively utilizing generative AI art in their development. In many cases, it’s difficult to distinguish AI art unless you have a trained eye. So how long will we have to cling to the “this is AI-created” label?
Looking back at the history of art and creation, the emergence of new tools has always sparked controversy. When the camera emerged, the demise of painting was predicted, and when digital tools emerged, the value of traditional techniques was debated. However, what ultimately matters is not the tool itself, but the intention and vision of the creator using it.
The same goes for AI. In a few years, the question “Did you use AI?” will become meaningless. What will still matter then will be the experiences (immersion), storytelling (narrative), and more personalized emotions (gameplay) that games can deliver to users.
Why Indie Developers Should Leverage AI
The biggest challenge facing indie game developers is the absolute lack of time and capital. Large studios invest tens or hundreds of people and massive budgets in game development. In contrast, indie developers must tackle everything alone or with a small team, often on a limited budget.
In this context, AI is already becoming a game-changer. From basic code writing using cursors and other tools to concept art creation, background illustration generation, music composition, and even modeling, AI is saving indie developers time at various stages of development.
In this changing reality, indie game developers must now explore and apply the latest AI tools and technologies in their development much more actively than major game developers.
If indie game developers can leverage AI to achieve the same level of results in one-tenth or one-hundredth of the time, given their limited experience and limited resources (time, capital, and manpower), they should actively leverage this technology and use the time savings to refine the game’s core gameplay and enhance the narrative for the user experience. The ability to select and focus on what indie developers excel at through generative AI—this is the true weapon and value that AI advancements can offer indie developers.
Competitiveness comes from vision, not tools.
Even major studios are already actively adopting AI. Conversely, indie developers have little time or leeway to grapple with moral dilemmas. The market is already highly sophisticated and saturated with marketing, making it unfair. AAA games, developed with hundreds of billions of won in development costs, are constantly being sold at bargain prices, and even then, most people don’t even play them. It’s a tough market.
Of course, even amidst the deluge of mass-produced products, the lofty value of artisan-made goods and luxury goods remains important, and the noble challenges and passion for the genres that pure indie developers strive for must be respected and acknowledged, and I hope that the spirit of the Indie Game Awards continues.
However, most games launched by indie developers who lack experience in game development require multiple production and launch experiences before they become established.
The use of AI carries with it responsibilities, so ongoing considerations regarding copyright, ethical considerations, and the authenticity of creative works are essential. However, these concerns should not be a reason to block the use of AI itself. Instead, indie studios should take a more proactive approach to exploring how to utilize AI responsibly and creatively than major studios.
Conclusion: Let’s move forward by using AI wisely.
The 33rd Expedition controversy was a regrettable incident, but it also presented an opportunity for the industry to re-evaluate its relationship with AI. Indie developers should not fear or taboo AI, but rather actively embrace it as a creative tool.
History remembers not those who reject new tools, but those who creatively utilize them. Just as painters who embraced cameras opened new artistic horizons, game developers who embrace AI will, with their unique results, open up new possibilities for gaming experiences.
Game development isn’t the Olympics, where everyone competes fairly based on their physical abilities. It’s a ruthless market where if you don’t win over users, you’re instantly abandoned. Indie game developers, don’t fear AI. Instead, use it as a tool to realize your vision. This is how you can overcome the limitations of time and capital and build a fan base with a uniquely compelling genre of game.
Written by Professor Jeong Moo-sik (Associate Professor, Department of Game and Film, Gachon University/Doctor of Engineering)
What about Professor Jeongmu Sik?
He is a first-generation game developer from South Korea, having started as a founding member of Triggersoft in 1994 and previously served as a director at NCsoft, an outside director at Nasdaq-listed Gravity, and vice president at Lunosoft. Since planning and hosting the world’s first indie game contest in 2003, he has maintained a long-standing interest in and support for the development of domestic indie games. He also served as a senior director at the Seongnam Industry Promotion Agency and as an advisor to the Korea Creative Content Agency on functional games and game literacy, spearheading the establishment and expansion of a domestic gaming culture.
