Larian’s admission regarding the use of artificial intelligence has sparked a major online debate, one that Daniel Vávra has now addressed in blunt terms.
Larian Studios has acknowledged that it uses generative artificial intelligence for certain development tasks while working on the new Divinity title. These applications include concept art, placeholder text, and PowerPoint presentations. Despite the limited scope, the revelation caused a significant backlash, with many fans pledging not to purchase the game unless the studio reversed its decision.
In response to the controversy, Larian clarified its position, stressing that AI-generated content will not be included in the final release and that no jobs are being lost as a result of adopting these tools.
Daniel Vávra, founder of Warhorse Studios and creative director of Kingdom Come: Deliverance, weighed in on the matter with characteristic directness. According to Vávra, Larian merely stated openly what virtually every developer is already doing, and the resulting outrage represents a form of hysteria.
He compared the reaction to the resistance against steam engines during the Industrial Revolution, arguing that technological progress inevitably meets fear and opposition. Vávra also expressed frustration over how long, expensive, and resource-intensive modern game development has become.
“This AI hysteria is the same as when people were smashing steam engines in the 19th century. Larian said they were doing something that absolutely everyone else is doing and triggered an insane backlash. I’ve even seen accusations that we’re using AI in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. All I know is that I used Topaz Labs to upscale some AI elements and old low-resolution textures from the first game. I’m not a fan of AI-generated art, but it’s time to face reality: AI is here to stay.”
Vávra added that if AI can help create epic games in a shorter timeframe with smaller teams, he fully supports its use. In his view, art directors, writers, programmers, and artists will still be essential, but they will be freed from tedious and repetitive tasks.
He also highlighted other potential uses of generative AI, such as RPGs where players can freely question NPCs within the game’s context, or a future where AI handles most programming while developers supervise the process. Opposing such developments, he argued, would be as futile as opposing sewing machines in the textile industry.
Vávra concluded by suggesting that AI could either bring about the dystopian future predicted in The Terminator or enable almost anyone to realize ambitious creative projects at a fraction of today’s cost. In that scenario, making a game could become as accessible as writing a book.
Source: WCCFTech
