Generative AI is transforming game development, including in surprising ways. The biggest fears are of AI taking jobs or ripping off work, but some developers have found themselves up against a problem they never expected: being accused of using AI when they didn’t.
A quick browse on Steam is enough to see that a lot of people are using AI for games, with AI capsule art particularly apparent. But there are still a lot of indie devs who aren’t, and who don’t want to be associated with AI because of the potential commercial and reputational damage.
We ordered new art for our game, does it look like AI generated? from r/IndieGameDevs
We’ve seen big devs and publishers called out for AI slop (we’ve even seen one developer rage baiting by boasting of having the world’s first 100% AI-generated game). But in recent months, there’s been a surge in posts on social media from concerned indie developers suffering from AI anxiety.
Some worry that the artists they hired to do their capsule art might be flogging them AI-generated imagery and want a second opinion. Others know their capsule art isn’t AI because they know the artist or created the art themselves, but they worry people might think it looks like AI anyway.
Need feedback from graphic artists: Could my visual style be perceived as AI? from r/gamedev
I wrote recently about the scientific debate sparked by Schrodinger’s Cat Burglar. The upcoming game has provoked an art controversy too, and developer Abandoned Sheep has decided to change his capsule art because so many people thought it was AI-generated (it wasn’t).
“My worry was that genuinely interested players would see our videos, be excited then go to the comments and see AI accusations and think, ‘oh yeah, it does look like AI. Maybe they used it, maybe they used it in the game as well’ and then just not have any further interest,” the developer says.
Everyone thought our art was AI, so we had to change it… from r/IndieDev
Others say they’ve faced media and publishers levelling ‘AI slop’ accusations at their non-AI art and trailers. Spicy Muffin Media, a small team making a game called Axion 1986 says they were refused press coverage as a result.
“People these days find it hard to believe that four people can still make a decent-looking game without using AI,” the developer writes on Reddit. “My friends and I are veteran artists who have worked in games and movies for 20 years for companies like Sony, Disney, and Marvel… making this two-minute video from scratch was not our first rodeo.”
People think the trailer of our games is AI slop (and it’s not) and don’t want cover the game from r/IndieGaming
These kinds of accusations are becoming a big issue when promotion on social media is so important for games these days. Some developers say that once a suggestion of AI art comes up, people stop paying attention to everything else and focus solely on the AI accusations.
So how can game developers avoid AI accusations, and how should they respond if they get them?
Some are changing their approach to capsule art to avoid some of the traits most associated with AI. That might mean steering clear of that cartoony semi-sepia tone so common in ChatGPT-generated images. A careful choice of typeface can also help since uneven lettering or strange-looking characters can still be a sign of AI.
The reality, though, is that AI image generators are getting so convincing that any art style might get accused of looking like AI by someone who doesn’t like it. Some developers are leaning into development diaries and behind-the-scenes content, including short videos showing their drawing process. This can help market a game as well as show that it’s not AI.
Some are also trying to preempt AI accusations or turn them on their head, getting traffic with posts where they ask if their game looks AI.
In time, people might stop rushing to call out AI-looking art since it will become so hard to tell. Already, people are sometimes seeing age-old human-made perfections as ‘telltale signs’ of GenAI (human artists can also sometimes use wonky perspectives or put things in strange places).
In the meantime, devs need to be prepared with a plan for how they’ll respond if accusations come. Ultimately, the best strategy is to continue striving to make games that are different and unique, and to remember that the people who like the look of them might not be as vocal as those who don’t.
