TECH NEWS – Mike Ybarra says that now that Pearl Abyss has apologized over Crimson Desert, players should toughen up and accept the reality of AI in games.

Artificial intelligence is becoming more deeply embedded in games, and it has already triggered no shortage of controversy. Call of Duty and Battlefield 6 have both been accused of using it, while Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and the latest Anno reportedly shipped with AI-generated elements included by mistake in their final versions. Just last week, Nvidia also unveiled DLSS 5, which effectively adds an AI-based visual enhancement layer on top of everything.

Then came Crimson Desert, after sharp-eyed players noticed what appeared to be AI-generated artwork on carpets and in several 2D visual assets inside the game. Developer Pearl Abyss moved quickly and apologized to fans. It turned out the studio had made the kind of classic blunder we have already covered in more detail. That is where former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra entered the picture and stirred the whole thing up again:

Former Blizzard President Mike Ybarra, now CEO of a gambling site, tells Crimson Desert devs not to apologize for using AI in-game.

“I don’t get why devs feel the need to bend over for the few folks who can’t accept the reality that AI will be in everything—from video games to… pic.twitter.com/9MTL9NybOo

— Pirat_Nation 🔴 (@Pirat_Nation) March 22, 2026

“Why apologize? AI, in one form or another, will be in every video game. I don’t understand why developers feel the need to bend over for the few folks who can’t accept the reality that AI will be in everything – from video games to your fridge, which it already is. Man up.” Ybarra wrote on Twitter.

Will AI play an even bigger role in game design and development going forward? There is little reason to doubt it. Square Enix, for example, has reportedly set a goal of having AI handle 70% of quality assurance by 2027, while Ubisoft continues to invest more heavily in generative AI tools. But does artificial intelligence belong in every game? The AI-generated elements spotted in Crimson Desert were, for example, paintings of horribly mutated humans and horses. In other words, they looked more like what many would call AI slop than assets fit for a final commercial release – which is exactly why Pearl Abyss apologized for failing to disclose its use of AI.

Ybarra, however, does not appear to place much value on the idea that developers should be required to disclose AI usage on platforms such as Steam. A recent industry survey suggests the opposite mood inside game development, with 90% of developers saying generative AI use should be disclosed more fully.

Source: PC Gamer