Recently, Olivier Gay, the author of the Académie Clair-Obscur comic, reported that lawyers for Sandfall Interactive, the developer of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, sent him an official letter demanding that he cease promoting and selling the comic, which allegedly "profits from the undeniable success of the game."
As Gay explained, the idea for the comic was proposed to the publisher Drakoo back in 2019, and the contract for its publication was signed in 2024 — long before the game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 appeared. He claims that the name was used in the work without any connection to the game and that it refers to a special technique of magic, not to a popular game.
Meanwhile, Reddit users are criticizing Sandfall's actions, noting that the claim seems strange, to say the least, given that the term Clair Obscur is common and has been used in art for over 500 years, denoting "chiaroscuro." However, it is possible that the developers are not even aware of the situation, as the lawyers representing the company may be acting independently.
Nevertheless, Olivier Gay said that he does not have the financial and moral strength to legally fight a large studio and agrees to change the name of the comic. However, the author himself expressed disappointment with the claims, stating that he has always respected Sandfall Interactive and enjoyed playing Expedition 33.