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Generative AI continues to be a hot topic these days, with a dramatic divide emerging in the games industry over its use.
Companies like Epic, Level-5 and Electronic Arts are in favour, citing its usefulness for streamlining ideation and asset creation, while others are less enthused – as this exhaustive feature on GamesRadar attests.
"Gamers don't want it," was the verdict given to Games Radar by Pocketpair and Palworld comms lead John Buckley, one of the many games industry professionals the site spoke to who were broadly opposed to its use. "This gen AI side of gaming feels kind of similar to the early crypto stuff. It feels very intrusive. It feels like everyone who is super gung-ho about it isn't from the industry. They're, dare I say, outsiders looking to get rich quick."
I recently got the chance to sit down and speak with Bitmap Bureau's design director Mike Tucker, who has a unique insight into the realm of gorgeous, hand-drawn 2D artwork – a sector of the games industry which is currently feeling the pinch when it comes to GenAI's use.
The models which produce this artwork have been trained without permission on human-made content, putting many artists and designers out of a job – something Tucker takes a serious issue with.
"I’m vehemently against GenAI and flat-out refuse to use it in what we do - it feels like intellectual theft and might also deny someone a job, neither of which sits right with me," he says. "It’ll be a sad day when humans no longer create anything and defer it all to AI, but I’m hoping that’s a long way off."
Bitmap Bureau is currently putting the finishing touches on He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction after delaying the game just two weeks before its intended release.