Vaspaan Dastoor is an Editor for TheGamer. Previously worked at IGN India and constantly tries to get people to make time for an LOTR marathon. He can be found giving hot takes for cold responses at @DastoorVaspaan
After over two years of love and adulation, and even a Best Community Support award at the Game Awards to show for it, things got pretty heated yesterday for Baldur’s Gate 3 and Divinity developer Larian. It all kicked off after CEO Swen Vincke mentioned that gen-AI will be used during the upcoming game’s development, but won’t feature in the final game.
He explained that AI tools would be used when ideating and referencing, but even this didn’t go down well with fans. The studio saw a huge backlash from the community, especially because of how notorious gen-AI is for plagiarising. However, this has now resulted in people questioning Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s Game of the Year win at The Game Awards.
Clair Obscur Has Been Pulled Into The Conversation About Larian s Use Of Gen-AI
While a lot of people have been posting about how they’re upset about Larian’s use of AI, some pointed out that Clair obscur studio Sandfall Interactive wasn’t nearly getting as much flak. Back in July, the studio admitted to using AI, but didn’t get much backlash. Instead, it went on to break records at The Game Awards. Now it seems that the game is getting dragged into the conversation.
Whether in an attempt to point out hypocrisy, or to defend Larian, social media and community forums like Reddit are filled with posts calling out Sandfall. From what I’ve seen, their sentiment appears to be that Larian gets called out for admitting the use of AI, while Clair Obscur goes on to win awards.
Of course, there’s no right side here, since both Larian and Sandfall said that they use AI very sparingly and only as a reference point. The real question is whether even that much use of AI is okay. Using something as a reference is normal in the art department, but when gen-AI is used, you’re not even sure what you’re referencing, as it has probably plagiarized someone else’s work.
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“as it has probably plagiarized someone else’s work.”
Why do you people straight up assume they use somebody else’s artwork for AI?
Using you own artwork as a reference for AI, gives you exactly what you need from the AI. Artwork that fits within you own agenda, because it’s made from your own art.
That’s what i think when using AI for artwork.
And lets be fair, even real artwork took inspiration from somewhere real.
2025-12-17 13:32:49
You hit the nail on the head. Even prior to A.I, source codes and snippets from other games and their engines have been widely used for decades. EVen without A.I, tons of film and AAA companies spend thousands on Kitbash3D.
That also being said, not every A.I is built on stealing or using others artwork.
2025-12-17 15:32:36
Honestly? Because most people don’t really understand the tool or how to use it. They hear AI bad, they repeat AI bad. Lol
2025-12-17 16:54:07
This is getting ridiculous. AI isn’t going away and it will be broadly adopted in no time. Its not a matter of using AI period, its a matter of using AI responsibly. A black/white view achieves nothing.
2025-12-17 14:37:03
My view is pragmatic.
I don’t want AI to replace actual artists, or artistry. Both for the sake of their jobs, and because the “AI prompt masters” or whatever THINK their results look great and they don’t. Who doesn’t notice people with extra arms and fingers, wheels on a truck *cough* Coca Cola *cough* that constantly change configuration throughout a like 30 second ad, that the people look creepy AF.. then decide they’ll avoid close ups of creepy AF people so they have creepy AF animals instead (Coca Cola again), that upscaled signs in remasters have turned into gibberish. That’s laziness and shows you are replacing your artists with AI rather than using it as some supplement.
But, I don’t care if subtitling is done with Google Translate (which after all is AI) or whatever, it beats not being localized at all. If artists (i.e. not ‘prompt artists’ or something) find use for some AI tools, and they result looks good, have at it. After all, even Photoshop has AI tools to remove something from a picture, remove smudges, ‘smart’ sharpening and cutting and etc. But they help the artist rather than try to replace them. And for an indy or very small team, if they churn out AI slop they should be called out for it just like everyone else (…and they are). If they have an artistic vision and are following that vision, making sure the results look good, and all that.. in an ideal world they could hire more artists, but they may not have the budget for it; or maybe they do have enough artists and they are legitimately making light use of AI as a tool.
2025-12-17 14:41:33
Two of the greatest RPGs ever made, massive awards, but somehow using AI discredits them? if it using AI could produce games of that quality that sell 15 million copoies, every studio should be doing it lol…or maybe there’s something else that’s working for them?? Hmm…
2025-12-17 16:22:40
Time for you all to get over this AI nonsense, it’s not going anywhere no matter the amount of whining the small minority produces.
2025-12-17 14:25:18
People are acting like, before AI, they knew all of the tools compilers, programming languages, green screen stuff. No, they played the game having no idea how it was made.
Hey lets start demanding all developers, managers, and voice actors keep verifiable records of daily drug testing to make sure they aren’t using weed for inspiration.
is it a game? Yes. Was it the best one you played this year? Yes. OK GOTY.
2025-12-17 17:21:59
Since they aren’t using AI as a crutch, and are instead using it like it was meant to be used (generating placeholder assets and using it as a tool to help streamline the development process), I see nothing wrong with it.
2025-12-20 21:20:00
That overglazed BS didn’t deserve the award in the first place
2025-12-20 15:26:33
Developers have been using AI to create games for a hot minute now, most of the people creating all this noise don’t even know what they’re talking about.
Honestly I would rather see a smaller team using ai and not going into a crunch situation like some of these AAA developers do. If it’s a tool and it helps you get the game created then why not use it?
2025-12-18 19:52:07
Exhibition 33 deserved every award it got and was the GOTY, no doubt, and one of the best games I have played. AI is being used as a tool in all industries right now; people need to get over that. Second, they aren’t even using it in production, just a reference. For people who never developed a game or project before, it happens all the time that other people’s art is used for reference to what you want your product to look like or feel like or the color schemes, etc Then you have your own designers, art team, and others build original content around that concept to build your vision.
Personally, I don’t like AI being used for actual production code or art, but for references, prototyping, or even testing an idea, I think it is a very useful tool.
2025-12-17 17:32:15
