Iraqi Customs Condemns Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Art Book for Antiquities Smuggling

A Reddit user shared an unusual story about receiving an artbook for the game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The ordered edition was detained at Iraqi customs, where it was mistaken for an archaeological artifact and suspected of being contraband.

Customs officers, after opening the package, concluded that the book's appearance was too reminiscent of an ancient artifact. The drawings, symbols, and overall design style led the inspectors to believe they were dealing with a genuine historical artifact. As a result, the artbook was sent to the Iraqi Museum's technical committee for professional examination.

Museum specialists, of course, quickly determined that the edition had no archaeological value and was simply a collection of concept art for a recently released video game. After receiving the official conclusion, the shipment was released and soon safely delivered to its intended recipient.

The situation seems especially ironic given the recent event: in early February, Sandfall Interactive, the developers of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, were awarded the title of Chevalier of the French Order of Arts and Letters. Who knows, perhaps centuries from now, such artbooks will truly become objects of museum interest, but for now, it's just a beautiful story about the excessive vigilance of customs officials.