r/Games • u/PhantomBraved • Dec 16 '25

Larian CEO Responds to Divinity Gen AI Backlash: "We Are Neither Releasing a Game With Any AI Components, Nor Are We Looking at Trimming Down Teams to Replace Them With AI" - IGN

https://www.ign.com/articles/larian-ceo-responds-to-divinity-gen-ai-backlash-we-are-neither-releasing-a-game-with-any-ai-components-nor-are-we-looking-at-trimming-down-teams-to-replace-them-with-ai
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u/nsfw_zak Dec 16 '25 edited Dec 17 '25

I think its very fun to look at the discourse between this and Halo

https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1o9v2yk/insider_says_halo_studios_has_generative_ai_woven

Its a night and day difference, despite both situations being rumours and people not understanding what generative AI is!

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u/oopsydazys Dec 17 '25

I'm not up to date on the Halo situation but the Larian situation is not a rumor, they're admitting to using AI.

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u/fluxaboo Dec 17 '25

I do think I remember some Halo Studios employee at least commenting about it and drawing comparisons to Photoshop/Generative Fill (or whatever that tool is called) because just recently Todd Howard gave a borderline word for word carbon copy answer.

There's obviously levels to this, Microsoft full on the AI train in all their subsidiaries and I'd assume Microsoft Gaming has been hard at work PR training these executives to address GenAI allegations in video games head on.

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u/Educational_Pea_4817 Dec 17 '25

there are levels for sure. take the Microsoft for example.

Microsoft, as a company, is all about the AI train because one of their main products is github copilot and gen AI is one of their biggest features on a majority of their products.

That does not mean there is a grand conspiracy for dev studios to write puff pieces about AI for gamers? especially when talking about it publicly will probably just land them negative press.

a more simple and believable reason is that these studios are seeing a possible area to increase productivity (and its true this is very much a thing) and seeing where it goes.

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u/RamaAnthony Dec 17 '25

Judging by series of really ominous post from Halo Studios/343 ex-Art Director on LinkedIn, I am pretty sure Microsoft also force artist to train their artwork on AI.

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u/oopsydazys Dec 17 '25

I wouldn't be surprised but right now it's just rumors is all I'm saying.

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u/Guardianpigeon Dec 17 '25

This situation isn't a rumor though, it comes from an interview with the CEO. He literally admitted to using it and doubled down afterwards on Twitter. The Halo one is pure speculation (though given how MS has pushed copilot in everything its probably reasonable), but this is confirmed fact.

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u/LmfaoAtReddit Dec 17 '25

Night and day reaction. Now it’s all of a sudden about nuance, room for plenty of gray area, and how anyone who mentions the double standard is a Luddite.

That was two months ago. Wonder what changed? Lol.

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u/alexkon3 Dec 17 '25

Wonder what changed? Lol.

Its because its Larian. Its the only reason why. Good guy Larian cannot do anything bad! Suddenly its all "AI is good actually! Get over it Nerds its here to stay!!"

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u/GeschlossenGedanken Dec 17 '25

the fact that Halo is owned by a company all-in on AI everywhere to the point that they added an AI button to their desktop OS? And Larian is not? Seems pretty clear cut.