Generative AI
Ongoing coverage on Generative AI.
Latest coverage
'Morale has been terrible' at EA, workers claim, saying that AI mandates and mismanagement have left the company 'a cold dead place that's slowly decaying as leadership pilfers every last cent'
Employees at Electronic Arts have reported extremely low morale, citing mismanagement, mandates to work on unsuccessful live service games, and the push towards generative AI. Sources claim leadership is detached, with executive pay remaining high while development teams face layoffs and difficult working conditions. The article highlights specific issues at BioWare and the perceived disconnect between executive decisions and the reality on the ground.
Epic Games further doubles down on gen-AI tools for Fortnite, Unreal Engine 6 and more: "Our engineers are no longer writing the bulk of the code"
Epic Games is significantly increasing its use of generative AI across its products, including Fortnite and Unreal Engine 6. Executive vice president Marcus Wassmer stated that engineers are now guiding AI tools rather than writing the bulk of the code, aiming for faster development and fewer bugs. The company is unconcerned about skepticism surrounding AI, prioritizing speed over caution.
"We are more concerned about the risks of moving too slowly": Epic get more specific about genAI use in Unreal Engine and Fortnite development
Epic Games is actively integrating generative AI into the development of Unreal Engine and Fortnite, according to executive vice president Marcus Wassmer. Tools like Claude Code and Codex are being used to eliminate bugs, compress shaders, and refactor code, significantly speeding up development cycles. Epic prioritizes rapid adoption of AI over skepticism, aiming to maintain a competitive edge in the industry.
Discord will make player messages on public servers visible in web search results by mid-December
Discord will begin making messages from public servers visible in web search results by mid-December, a move aimed at improving information discoverability. While usernames and avatars will be hidden, server admins can opt out, and individual users can disable message content sharing. The feature has raised concerns about data privacy and potential AI training, despite Discord's policy against it.
Rockstar UK Staff Will Vote on IWGB Union Recognition as GTA 6 Launches
Rockstar Games staff in the UK will vote on union recognition for the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain from November 12 to 26, coinciding with the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI. The potential recognition deal covers pay, overtime, and AI policies, aiming to make the IWGB the largest union in the UK games industry. This vote is separate from an ongoing tribunal concerning the dismissal of 31 employees, which the union alleges was union-busting.
Rockstar Games, IWGB to Vote on Union Formation Between November 12th and 26th
Rockstar Games and the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) have agreed to hold a union formation vote between November 12th and 26th. This vote will allow workers to have a say on issues including pay, overtime, and generative AI policies. The timing of the vote coincides with the pre-load and release of Grand Theft Auto 6 and a union-busting tribunal hearing.
EA workers complain of ‘terrible’ morale amid layoffs and ‘heavily pushed’ generative AI
Electronic Arts employees are reportedly experiencing terrible morale due to recent layoffs and a strong push towards generative AI implementation. One anonymous employee described the company as a 'cold dead place that's slowly decaying as leadership pilfers every last cent.'
AI fan wikis riddled with errors are muddying the waters of an already contested part of games culture
Generative AI tools are creating numerous inaccurate fan wikis that are flooding search results and crowding out legitimate community-run resources. Companies like Hooded Horse are struggling to combat these AI-generated sites, which often contain false information and even lead to spam or malware. This issue is particularly problematic for indie games with smaller playerbases, and it negatively impacts the reputation and stability of independent fan wikis.
The 50 most-played Steam Next Fest demos include 7 incremental games, 4 AI disclosures, and only one instance of…
Valve has released the list of the 50 most-played demos from the recent Steam Next Fest, highlighting the continued popularity of incremental games and co-op titles. Notably, games overtly utilizing generative AI were largely absent from the top-played list, with only four such titles appearing.
"Just because you can order at a restaurant doesn’t mean you’re a chef": Game lawyer says AI-generated code made with confidential details did nothing but waste everybody's time
An IP lawyer specializing in video game contracts highlights the misuse of generative AI in development, citing an instance where a contractor submitted AI-generated code containing confidential information, leading to a failed agreement. The article discusses the legal risks, including copyright infringement and breaches of confidentiality, associated with current AI tools and suggests incorporating anti-AI clauses into contracts.
Steam's AI disclosures are akin to "forcing developers to list their voting history", says man who must hate seeing eggs virtue signal that they're free-range
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney criticized Valve's new policy requiring developers to disclose the use of generative AI in their games. Sweeney argued that these disclosures are akin to forcing developers to reveal political affiliations and could be used against them by a 'hate mob.' The article counters that such transparency is necessary for consumers to make informed decisions, comparing it to age ratings and suggesting that businesses should adapt to consumer preferences.
Shogun 2 – Complete Edition was "not a Creative Assembly developed game," says Total War VP after it was pulled amid generative AI concerns
Creative Assembly has addressed the removal of Total War: Shogun 2 – Complete Edition from sale due to concerns over generative AI usage. Vice president Roger Collum clarified that the game was not developed internally and was not subject to the same quality assurance, stating that the company does not use generative AI for assets and demands the same from external developers. The situation is under investigation, and Creative Assembly aims to regain player trust.
Japan Actors Union pushes for heavy restrictions on AI copying dead actors
The Japan Actors Union has proposed new guidelines to restrict the use of generative AI in copying actors' likenesses and voices, particularly for deceased performers. The union, representing around 2,600 actors, is pushing for consent at every stage of AI training and usage, along with fair compensation and disclosure. These measures aim to protect the dignity and legacy of performers from commercial exploitation.
'I drank from the chalice of blood': indie dev scrubs his game of AI-generated voice lines, having previously described the technology as 'anti-human and anti-art'
Indie developer Paolo Pedercini has removed AI-generated voice lines from his game Future? No Thanks! following backlash, despite previously defending their use for satirical purposes. Pedercini, who also used AI for code assistance, admitted to the use of generative AI in his game, which satirizes the technology itself. The controversy has led to Pedercini replacing the AI voices with those of human actors and offering refunds to players who feel betrayed.
Still mad at Valve for Steam's AI disclosures, Epic Games boss criticizes "forcing developers to write a political statement to be used against them by the hate mob"
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has strongly criticized Valve's policy requiring developers to disclose the use of generative AI in their games on Steam. Sweeney called the policy "abhorrent" and a "Scarlet Letter," arguing it forces developers into making political statements that can be used against them by critics. The article highlights Sweeney's long-standing advocacy for generative AI in game development and contrasts Valve's approach with Epic's own embrace of the technology.
Future? No Thanks! dev removes AI-generated voices from game and offers refunds to players who feel "betrayed"
Molleindustria developer Paolo Pedercini has updated Future? No Thanks! to remove AI-generated voices and is offering refunds to players who feel betrayed by their use. Pedercini disclosed the use of generative AI for robot voices, intended as a spoof, but faced backlash on social media. He plans for his next game to be entirely hand-coded.
Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto says AI could have 'positive' impact on gaming
Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto believes generative AI can positively impact game development by allowing creators to focus on core concepts rather than labor-intensive tasks. He compares its introduction to the advent of computers, suggesting it will highlight individual creativity and intent. While acknowledging potential pitfalls, Miyamoto remains optimistic about AI's role as an assistant that ultimately requires human guidance for meaningful creation.
Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai thinks gen-AI will cause a surge of unoriginal games, but says human creativity can't be replicated
Super Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai believes generative AI will lead to a significant increase in unoriginal games, with many becoming unprofitable due to mass production and poor quality. However, he asserts that unique human creativity, exemplified by designers like Fumito Ueda, cannot be replicated by AI as it can only reference existing works.
"AI is a technofascist, anti-human and anti-art project", says creator of lefty tech satire Future? No Thanks!, before explaining why he used it anyway
Paulo Pedercini, the creator of the game Future? No Thanks!, has disclosed the use of generative AI tools for a small fraction of the game's code and for character voice acting. Despite his strong criticisms of AI as a "technofascist, anti-human and anti-art project," Pedercini used tools like ChatGPT and Claude for bug fixing and text-to-speech, arguing for nuance in the discussion around AI in game development.
Vivrato: 97% of studio leaders use AI in some form during development in EU and North America
A new report by consultancy firm Vivrato reveals that 97% of studio leaders in Europe and North America are using AI in some form during game development, with 94% utilizing it across various production stages. The study, based on 101 interviews, highlights AI's most common applications in code and engineering, general productivity, and concept/pre-production, while noting deeper adoption in European studios.
