Crimson Desert developer Pearl Abyss has confirmed the launch of a ‘comprehensive audit’ of all in-game assets and artwork, following criticism from players who discovered various generative AI-created works on their travels.
The most egregious examples discovered in prominent game locations include an epic battle scene where men seem to melt into the form of horses, and legs that vanish, turning into rock-like forms. Other artworks shared to Reddit include one of clashing swords with an incorrect perspective, and a cartoonish mage drawn with a bland, now-recognisably GenAI art style.
When players were first discovering these creations, Pearl Abyss had not acknowledged any GenAI use in the game and the extent of the studio’s GenAI use was unclear. The developer has now confirmed the technology was actually used in the development process – although it had intended to remove placeholder artwork prior to the game’s launch.
Crimson Desert’s GenAI use – quick links
The Crimson Desert team’s GenAI accident
As outlined in a statement shared by IGN, Pearl Abyss used generative AI without disclosure, as a means to create ‘some 2D prop assets’. The intention was to iterate quickly to find an appropriate tone and aesthetic for artworks, with any GenAI assets to be removed at a later date.
‘During development, some 2D visual props were created as part of early-stage iteration using experimental AI generative tools,’ the statement said. ‘These assets helped us rapidly explore tone and atmosphere in the earlier phases of production. However, our intention has always been for any such assets to be replaced, following final work and review by our art and development teams, with work that aligned with our quality standards and creative direction.
‘Following reports from our community, we have identified that some of these assets were unintentionally included in the final release. This is not in line with our internal standards, and we take full responsibility for it.
‘We also acknowledge that we should have clearly disclosed our use of AI. While these tools were primarily used during early production, with the expectation that these assets would be replaced prior to release, we recognise that this does not excuse the lack of transparency. We sincerely apologise for these oversights.’
Pearl Abyss is now conducting a ‘comprehensive’ audit of all in-game assets, and plans to replace all GenAI content in new game patches. It has also pledged to ‘strengthen its internal processes’ to ensure ‘greater transparency and consistency’ moving forward.
The backlash around GenAI use in games continues
Across various Reddit threads, Crimson Desert has been heavily criticised for this oversight, with all artwork in the game now being picked over, as players point out egregious inconsistencies.
While the use of generative AI has become normalised in the development process of some major games, particularly at larger game companies seeking new efficiencies, the technology remains controversial among players, and has been the subject of much ridicule in recent years.
Players, for the most part, are rallying to support human-created works, with a high bar for care and quality. Any use of GenAI has been labelled lazy and frustrating, with plenty of companies – including Ubisoft and Larian Studios – recently coming under fire for using (and enthusing) about the technology.
We’re likely to see more instances like this in future but with player passion fuelling the fire around GenAI use, other companies using the technology for similar means may be surprised by the fervour with which human-led creativity is defended.
