Larian Studios, which received great applause at the Game Awards 2025 with its new game Divinity, ended the week with a crisis. Candid statements made by the studio’s CEO, Swen Vincke, in an interview with Bloomberg, drew criticism from both players and former employees. At the heart of the controversy is the use of generative AI, a highly sensitive topic in the gaming world.
CEO Confirms: AI in the Production Line
In the interview, Swen Vincke claimed that the new Divinity game would be much better than Baldur’s Gate 3, and confirmed that the studio had integrated generative AI technologies into its development process. While Vincke acknowledged initial resistance within the company, he stated that everyone is now more or less comfortable with this approach.
However, as soon as this statement was released, social media erupted. Not only players, but also former Larian employees reacted negatively to the studio’s use of AI. Due to the overwhelming backlash, Vincke was forced to issue a detailed statement via IGN to try and salvage the situation.
Responding to fears that AI will replace artists, Vincke stated:
“We are constantly expanding our team of concept artists, writers, and storytellers. Speaking specifically about concept art, we currently have 23 artists and are open for more. The machine learning tools we use are intended to contribute to the creative team’s workflow, not to replace their talent or craft. There will be no AI components in the game we release, nor do we plan to downsize our teams to replace them with AI.”
Larian’s defense also brought to light the hypocrisy within the industry. As a reminder, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, this year’s winner of The Game Awards and Game of the Year, was criticized for using AI entities during its development. While the development team quietly removed this content via patch, the game’s record number of awards and increased sales raise questions about how much player reaction influenced purchasing decisions.
So, do you think it’s right for a beloved studio like Larian Studios to use artificial intelligence in game development? Did the CEO’s explanation convince you? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
