AI in Video Games Sparks Controversy and Debate
The video game sector is witnessing a swift rise in the application of generative AI, leading to significant debate. Controversy erupted over AI-created visuals in Ubisoft's Anno 117: Pax Romana and Microsoft's Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Additionally, Where Winds Meet, developed by Everstone Studio and NetEase, incorporates ChatGPT-like chatbots. A major point of contention is Embark Studios' ARC Raiders, which sold more than 4 million copies and utilized AI-generated text-to-speech from professional actors' recordings without their consent. This issue emerged after the SAG-AFTRA strike in 2025, which established protections for AI. Eurogamer rated ARC Raiders 2/5, partly due to this controversy. Embark CEO Patrick Söderlund emphasized AI's importance for smaller studios, while Nexon CEO Junghun Lee highlighted that 51% of Japanese studios are experimenting with AI.
Key facts
- AI-generated images in Anno 117: Pax Romana and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 sparked backlash.
- Where Winds Meet uses ChatGPT-style chatbots for character dialogue.
- ARC Raiders sold over 4 million copies; Embark Studios used AI TTS trained on actor recordings.
- SAG-AFTRA secured AI protections in 2025 after a year-long strike.
- Embark Studios is Swedish, owned by Nexon (South Korea/Japan), exempt from SAG-AFTRA rules.
- Eurogamer gave ARC Raiders 2/5 stars due to AI voice use.
- A 2025 study found AI slows developer productivity by 19%.
- Nexon CEO Junghun Lee claimed every game company uses AI; small studios denied it.
- 51% of Japanese studios experiment with AI (CESA report); 60% in China (Niko Partners).
- Google Cloud survey: 87% of studios in select countries use generative AI.
- Square Enix aims for 70% of QA to be AI-driven by 2027.
Entities
Artists
- Patrick Söderlund
- Junghun Lee
- Tommy Thompson
- Lewis Packwood
- Joel Becker
- Matteo Lupetti
Institutions
- Ubisoft
- Microsoft
- Everstone Studio
- NetEase
- Embark Studios
- Nexon
- SAG-AFTRA
- Eurogamer
- Take Two
- AI and Games
- CESA
- Niko Partners
- Google Cloud
- GamesIndustry.biz
- Square Enix
- Mobilegamer.biz
- Polygon
- Game*Spark
- Automaton
- Artribune
Locations
- United States
- Sweden
- South Korea
- Japan
- China
- Norway
- Finland
- Italy
- Florence