Sandfall Interactive is working towards a ‘fair solution’ amid a patent dispute with a comic author.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the award-sweeping Game of the Year at last year's The Game Awards, has become entangled in a patent dispute with a comic author and is now taking steps to find a fair resolution for both parties.
A French author, Olivier Gay, initially revealed through posts on X that he had been asked to remove his graphic novel L’Académie Clair-Obscur from circulation, as it was allegedly riding on the game’s “undeniable success” due to the similarity in titles.
The author proclaimed his innocence, stating that the idea for his comic existed long before Expedition 33 was released. As the story began circulating online, Sandfall Interactive responded with a brief statement saying it was working towards “a fair solution for everyone”.
“Hello everyone, we’ve seen the discussions. Thank you for bringing the situation to our attention. We’re in contact with the publisher and Olivier to find a fair solution for everyone,” Sandfall wrote in its post.
UPDATE: The Expedition 33 studio had taken to X to announce they are ultimately dropping the order against Olivier Gay.
"Sandfall was working to withdraw the claims from our legal representative, which has now been done. Their role is to protect us, particularly against counterfeit products, but the action initiated against the comic book "L'Académie Clair-Obscur" published in January 2026 is not in line with our wishes," Sandfall posted, ultimately wishing success for the author.
Sandfall Interactive may retract ‘cease and desist’ order against French author
The issue first gained public attention when French author Olivier Gay revealed that he had received a letter from a lawyer representing Sandfall Interactive. According to Gay, the letter demanded that he stop selling his comic titled Académie Clair-Obscur, claiming it was “supposedly riding on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s undeniable success”.
Gay denied the claims, describing the similarity in names as an “unpleasant coincidence”. He explained that he had pitched the project back in 2019 and had signed a contract using the Clair-Obscur name in March 2024, more than a year before Expedition 33 was released.
According to the author, the comic follows the story of a peasant who joins an elite magic school, noting that it bears no relation to Expedition 33’s post-apocalyptic fantasy narrative.
Gay also stated that he admires the success of Sandfall Interactive and had previously played and recommended Expedition 33. Concluding his thread, he explained that he had “neither the energy nor the money to engage in a legal battle” and was prepared to continue publishing the comic under a different name.
However, as Sandfall reaches out to the book's publisher and aims to find a middle ground for both parties, Gay may still be able to retain the comic’s original title.
