Oh, Bother! The Alters Devs 'Fess Up to Sneaky AI Use (But Claim It Was Just a Phase)
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
11 Bit Studios got a slap on the wrist for using AI in *The Alters* without telling anyone, but they're claiming it was just a temporary hiccup and promise to be more transparent in the future. It's another reminder that the gaming world's relationship with AI is still...complicated.
Right, so 11 Bit Studios, the clever clogs behind *Frostpunk* and *This War of Mine*, have been caught with their digital trousers down over the use of AI in their upcoming sci-fi game, *The Alters*. Apparently, some eagle-eyed gamers spotted AI-generated assets lurking in the game, which, fair dinkum, isn't a great look considering they didn't exactly shout it from the rooftops. (Valve *does* require disclosure on Steam, you know).
The biggest howler? An in-game "Captain's Log" graphic had text that sounded suspiciously like it came straight out of an AI's backside, complete with the dead giveaway phrase, "Sure, here's a revised version focusing purely on scientific and astronomical data". As if that wasn't enough, some of the localisation was also AI-generated, leading to absolute clangers like a Portuguese subtitle starting with "Sure! Here is the translated text into Brazilian Portuguese". Bloody hell, mate.
Now, 11 Bit has responded to the kerfuffle, claiming it was all a big misunderstanding. According to them, the AI-generated bits were either temporary placeholders that accidentally slipped through the net or used in a “very limited manner”. They've issued a statement saying, "AI-generated assets were used strictly as temporary [work-in progress elements] during the development process...Our team has always prioritised meaningful, handcrafted storytelling as one of the foundations of our game.” Sounds like they're trying to put the genie back in the bottle, eh?
They’ve even shared a screenshot of the offending “Captain’s Log” to show just how “limited” the impact is. And the dodgy translations? Apparently, they were only used in “a few licensed movies that the alters can watch in the social area of the base.” These movies were externally produced, and the translations were done with AI at the last minute due to time constraints. They reckon it's only 0.3% of the in-game text, and they're already working on getting proper translations sorted.
"In hindsight, we acknowledge this was the wrong call. Even more so, no matter what we decided, we should have simply let you know,” 11 Bit admitted. Fair enough, I suppose. But still raises the question: why not disclose the AI use in the first place, as Valve requires? Hmmm...
Look, AI in gaming is a bit of a minefield, isn't it? On one hand, it could speed up development and let smaller teams do more. On the other, it raises questions about artistry, originality, and whether we're all going to be replaced by robots (again). Other studios like Frontier Developments (*Jurassic World Evolution 3*) and even behemoths like Activision and Microsoft have faced similar flak for their AI experiments.
Ultimately, it seems like 11 Bit is trying to walk a tightrope between embracing new tech and keeping the community happy. Let's hope they learn from this and are a bit more upfront about things in the future. After all, nobody likes a sneaky wizard.
Tags: The Alters, AI in Gaming, 11 Bit Studios, Game Development, Gaming News
Original article: Eurogamer