As gamers, we love the little details in the titles that we play. Whether it’s spotting hidden easter eggs or noticing subtle environmental touches, we often find ourselves backtracking entire areas just to catch everything we might have missed. Perhaps this is why nothing ever escapes our eyes. And that’s exactly what happened with the players of Crimson Desert, the recently released open-world action adventure game that has been in the spotlight for the last few days. Shortly after the game’s release, its players found AI-generated art in the world and that didn’t really go down well with them. The social media outrage then prompted the developers to apologise. Read on to know what happened.
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Crimson Desert players complain of AI art in game
Soon after stepping into the vast world of Crimson Desert, people began noticing something unusual about certain visual elements. Several paintings and signboards scattered across the environment looked slightly off, with strange proportions and inconsistent details that did not feel like they were created by human artists.
Some of the most talked-about examples on Reddit include the artwork featuring characters with distorted hands and oddly shaped limbs. In other cases, animals like horses appeared with unnatural anatomy, which quickly raised eyebrows within the community. These details might seem minor at first glance, but for players who enjoy observing every corner of a game world, they stood out immediately.
The discussion quickly picked up pace across various social media platforms and many users agreed that these assets looked like they had been created using generative AI tools.
Now, we all know how AI being used in the gaming world has always been a sensitive topic. Over the past few months, several studios have already faced backlash either for using AI in development or for not being transparent about it. For instance, Clair Obscure Expedition 33 lost its Indie Game Awards recognition after its use of AI came to light. So when gamers started criticising AI art in Crimson Desert, the developers were quick to respond.
Developers say they are sorry
The game’s developer, Pearl Abyss, acknowledged the issue publicly. The studio admitted that some visual assets created using AI tools during development were not removed before the final version of the game was released. According to the company, these elements were originally meant for early-stage experimentation and were expected to be replaced before launch.
The developer also accepted that it failed to clearly inform players about the use of AI-generated content.
Pearl Abyss also added that they have begun reviewing all in-game assets to identify and replace any remaining AI-generated visuals. The studio has also promised that updated versions will be rolled out through future patches. Alongside this, it is also working on improving internal processes to ensure better communication with players going forward.
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