Clair Obscur devs seek 'fair solution' in comic dispute

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been a successful debut for Sandfall Interactive, though the game has faced controversy: in December the Indie Game Awards revoked two awards over the inclusion of AI-generated assets at launch, which were quickly patched out. French author Olivier Gay says he received a lawyer's letter from Sandfall ordering him to stop selling his newly released graphic novel, L'Académie Clair-Obscur.

Gay says he pitched the book to Drakoo in 2019 and signed a contract in March 2024—three months before the game's June 2024 reveal—and that the comic shares no story or characters with Expedition 33. Gay says he will publish the comic under a different name to avoid a legal battle he cannot afford, and hopes it will continue to find success.

Sandfall posted on X that it is "in contact with the publisher and Olivier to find a fair solution for everyone," and representatives redirected requests to that statement. Observers have pointed to similarities in typography that can give the impression of a game tie-in.

France

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