Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is art, says the French Ministry of Culture and awards the developers a special honor.
What kind of honor is that? Sandfall Interactive, the developer studio behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, was honored for the game by the French government with a special award.
As the developers announced in a post on LinkedIn, they have received the so-called “Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” from the French Ministry of Culture, translated roughly as “Order of Arts and Literature.”
Why is that special? To receive the award, the individuals in question must meet a few requirements, such as being at least 30 years old and respecting French civil law.
With this honor, the French Ministry of Culture recognizes Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as art, as the award is given to individuals who have distinguished themselves through their works in the artistic or literary field or through their contribution to the influence of the arts and literature in France and worldwide.
The honor thus indicates that the game has enriched the culture of France.
Has the award ever been given to game developers? Yes, but not often. In 2006, Michel Ancel (Rayman, Beyond Good & Evil), Shigeru Miyamoto (Nintendo), and Frédérick Raynal (Alone in the Dark) received the award. David Cage, the founder of Quantic Dream (Heavy Rain, Detroit: Become Human), received the award in 2014.
The developers of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 should have slowly gotten used to receiving awards, prizes, and honors. However, they had to return one prize: Expedition 33 wins the Game Awards, but loses an already won prize because they used AI
