The studio behind The Alters faced significant criticism for secretly using an AI during development. Fans on Steam are upset, but the studio has now commented on the allegations.
What did I miss? The survival game “The Alters” had an excellent launch on Steam thanks to its story and the feature of how to manage your base: with the help of alternative versions of the protagonist.
However, a few weeks after the release, some fans discovered that the developers must have used an AI to visualize the subtitles of certain sequences and written content on displays without telling the community – they were angry.
Many players were therefore waiting for a statement from 11 Bit Studios, and it has now arrived. The team acknowledges its mistake.
Studio apologizes, fans love the game anyway
What does the statement say? On X, the official account of The Alters left a lengthy statement regarding the allegations of using an AI. According to the statement, the team confirms that they used AI for some temporary projects in The Alters. These were supposed to be used only as placeholders and to be replaced before the release date – the team failed to remove these placeholders during their game’s review.
The team also addressed the subtitles of various movies that you can watch in your base. These were also said to have been translated with AI. The statement reads: “Although these videos were produced externally, our team was not involved in the creative process, so additional translations were required at the last minute. Due to extreme time constraints, we opted against involving our translation partners and localized the videos using artificial intelligence to get them ready for launch.”
Both of these points have now been addressed by the team. Regarding the placeholders, they will be replaced, while the AI-generated subtitles are also set to receive an update to ensure better translation.
The team emphasizes again that transparency is important to them. They also recognize that they should have announced the use of AI during development better (Source: x.com).
What do fans say about the statement? They are glad that 11 Bit Studio has been so transparent about the issue and explained how the dilemma came about. Some users are against the use of AI during game development, but for many, it is not a problem if it is just about placeholder content. The following can be heard on Reddit and X:
- “Even though I’m generally against AI, I find it completely acceptable to use it as a placeholder during development. That a single placeholder asset is missing during the final approval is also completely understandable. Humans are not perfect.” – mrturret via Reddit
- “Honestly, I don’t care if you used AI. The game is phenomenal!” – @chainGUNX via X.com
- You explained it very clearly and openly. I appreciate this transparency, which is rare these days. You will receive criticism from both sides on this issue, so good luck and all the best!” – @Good_NewsGaming via X.com
- “Basically sounds like a huge nothing. AI for quick prototyping is actually a fantastic use case and should theoretically help speed up early development work.” – AutomateAway via Reddit
Many gamers still associate the use of artificial intelligence with the theft of intellectual property, and when it comes to creating designs, the product of AI is often met with skepticism. That’s why the reaction of various fans is so extreme.
However, there are also benefits to using AI. An insider claims that GTA 6 could utilize it to become even more realistic: “If anyone does it, then it’s Rockstar” – GTA 6 could use advanced AI, says an insider
