Last week’s State of Play had its share of surprises – a new Kena, the rebuilt Greek God of War trilogy – but nothing landed quite like an open-world action RPG led by a jacked, humanoid chicken, paired with a clear message from the publisher: this is not a generative-AI-built game.

PlayStation’s State of Play showcase delivered multiple unexpected reveals, yet few viewers anticipated that one of the show’s most memorable moments would be an open-world action RPG starring an oversized, humanoid chicken that looks ready to throw down at any moment.

Project Windless is based on a South Korean high-fantasy novel series called The Bird That Drinks Tears, positioning it as another attempt to push a Korean fantasy property toward a broader international audience. Still, the reveal immediately raised eyebrows around generative AI – particularly because the project sits under the Krafton umbrella. According to the company, those concerns miss the mark: the game is being built in a traditional, craft-led way.

Why Generative AI Became the First Question

Citing a statement shared with Eurogamer UK, a Krafton spokesperson said the Montreal team is taking a “craft-oriented” approach. AI tools are reportedly used only in internal, exploratory phases to improve team efficiency, with no player-facing, visible role in the final product.

The publisher added that NPCs and world behavior are handled through conventional AI systems, with the goal of keeping interaction and storytelling aligned with the creative team’s intent. Krafton also stressed that its studios operate with creative independence, selecting tools and methods based on each project’s needs rather than marching to a single mandate from headquarters in South Korea. In Project Windless’ case, the priority is said to be preserving the integrity of the narrative and open-world design without offloading art or story creation to generative algorithms.

The sensitivity around the topic traces back to Krafton’s broader public stance. The PUBG: Battlegrounds company said in 2025 that it intended to adopt AI across its development pipeline and described itself as “AI-first.” The issue became even more controversial amid reports tied to a layoff round, where employees were allegedly encouraged to leave if they disagreed with the direction.

With the industry still divided on generative AI, the takeaway here is that Project Windless is being positioned as a case where a studio keeps operational freedom. There is still much to learn about the game itself, but the platform plan is clearer: it was announced for PlayStation 5, and it is also confirmed for Xbox Series X|S and PC, with a release date yet to be announced.

Source: 3DJuegos, Eurogamer UK