The Alters by 11 Bit Studios received generally favorable reviews, accumulating a Metascore of 87 on Xbox Series X, 85 on PC, and 83 on PS5. The aura around the game recently changed following the accusations that the developer used GenAI. 11 Bit Studios released a statement, which made things worse.
“We’ve seen a wide range of accusations regarding the use of AI-generated content in The Alters,” the lengthy message began, “and we feel it’s important to clarify our approach and give you more context.”
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The studio clarified that the use of AI-generated assets was strictly for “temporary WIPs during the development process,” adding that it was used in “a very limited manner”. 11 Bit Studios maintained that their “team has always prioritized meaningful, handcrafted storytelling as one of the foundations of our game”.
“During production, an AI-generated text for a graphic asset, which was meant as a piece of background texture, was used by one of our graphical designers as a placeholder. This was never intended to be part of the final release.
“Unfortunately, due to an internal oversight, this single placeholder text was mistakenly left in the game. We have since conducted a thorough review and confirmed that this was an isolated case, and the asset in question is being updated. For transparency, we’ve included a screenshot to show how and where it appears in the game. While we do not want to downplay the situation, we also want to clearly show its limited impact on your gaming experience.”
The studio also confirmed that a few licensed movies that players can watch in the social area were translated using AI because of time constraints. According to 11 Bit Studios, they were not involved in the creative process. However, the studio declared its intention to work with “trusted translation agencies after release as part of our localization hotfix”, adding “That process is now underway”.
“As AI tools evolve, they present new challenges and opportunities in game development. We’re actively adapting our internal processes to meet this reality. But above all, we remain committed to transparency in how we make our games.”
More backlash follows 11 Bit Studios’ confirmation of GenAI use in The Alters
The comment section of the 11 Bit Studios post on BlueSky quickly blew up with reactions from people who think using GenAI at any level is a bad idea. The backlash was so intense that one comment from @tiny.toydragon.xyz claimed they got refunded on Steam using the “Game was not what I expected” option.
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A comment from @growlbeast.art read, “I’m sorry but rhis is absolutely insulting. I don’t care that you guys used it ‘for placeholder assets’ you still chose to use it. You’re still benefiting from the theft of real human artists and still attributing to the harm GenAI does to our planet”.
Another comment from @kobayashimaruu.bsky.social read, “Guys please take these reactions as a warning, there will never be a circumstance where use of genAI is okay and ethical, for it is all built off the backs of people like yourselves! I’m sure you know this”.
“Using genAI is still genAI no matter how big or small the mediocre can is,” added @ethan8bit.bsky.social.
There were lots of other comments that centered around the ethical concerns of GenAI, which invalidates the legitimacy of their use. However, the truth remains that GenAI has come to stay, and no amount of hating will change the fact that they are now part of game development.
Amidst the backlash, more studios and publishers are actively exploring how to improve the tools to speed up game development.
But, do you think gamers can pressure developers into tracking back on GenAI use in video game development? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
