Divinity and Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian Studios is the most recent game developer to be caught in controversy over its admitted use of generative AI, but according to CEO Swen Vincke, players shouldn’t worry. The studio made waves back in 2023 with the wildly impressive success of Baldur’s Gate 3, and at this year’s Game Awards, the developer stunned with its gore-filled, NSFW trailer for Divinity.
Divinity‘s shocking announcement at The Game Awards was one of the most talked-about moments of the event. However, it appears as though the hype has now turned into controversy, due to Vincke’s embrace of generative AI. Using generative AI in game development has been one of the most divisive topics within the industry this year, and as various studios and fans continue to take strong stances on the technology, its use can ignite incredibly strong feelings from gamers. While some view it as a tool, others see it as a lazy plagiarism machine, but Vincke has made it clear that he intends to continue pushing forward with the technology. While this is bound to disappoint some fans, there may be a silver lining.
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Larian Studios is Using Generative AI to Aid Early Development, Igniting Backlash Across the Internet
In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Vincke insisted that just because Larian Studios is using generative AI in early development doesn’t mean that it will be in the finished product. Instead of using AI to create permanent in-game content, Vincke stated that developers are using it for things like prototyping, PowerPoint presentations, and placeholders. However, he also mentioned that generative AI has been used for concept art, and that’s one of the main things that has caused backlash. After Bloomberg published the article, it quickly ignited debate on Reddit and popular gaming forums like ResetEra, with many disappointed in the direction that Vincke is taking. In the interview, Vincke expressed to Bloomberg, “I think at this point everyone at the company is more or less OK with the way we’re using it,” even though the article does confirm that not every employee has been happy with the decision.
Swen Vincke Promises That Larian Studios is Still a Human-Focused Operation
Despite the use of AI, Vincke emphasizes that every finished game from Larian Studios will be fully human-made. “Everything is human actors; we’re writing everything ourselves.” With the developer only using AI for placeholder content, some have argued that this use of the technology is okay, since it doesn’t actually affect the end result, but others disagree. On the one hand, there are arguments being made that it could help efficiency, but on the other hand, some believe that it undermines important roles, like concept artists. In the past, Larian Studios employees have been vocal about AI, with publishing director Michael Douse even tweeting recently, “AI artists are insufferable.”
I think at this point everyone at the company is more or less OK with the way we’re using it
While some are deeply disappointed, others remain unbothered by Larian Studios’ generative AI use. With it being such a hot-button issue, it will be interesting to see if Vincke makes any more statements on the topic or tries to sweep it under the rug in silence. The confirmation that future Larian Studios games won’t actually feature generative AI is promising, but there are still genuine concerns about how this could affect the later stages of development, since the technology is being used to streamline a part of the process that is usually incredibly crucial to the rest of production.
Sources: Bloomberg, ResetEra, Reddit
