KUALA LUMPUR: Larian Studios and Sandfall Interactive have officially stated that they used a small amount of generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology during pre-production.
They have also said that their final products did not use any generative AI for hand-crafted assets, art, music or narrative.
On the other end of the spectrum, developers of The Alters – 11 Bit Studios – received flak for disclosing their use of generative AI in-game, albeit for minor elements such as background objects on the ground. Compared with the minimal and late-stage comments Larian and Sandfall received, one might think 11 Bit Studios had burned down an orphanage or two.
At the very least, there are voices within the games industry attempting to add reason to the discourse. Kingdom Come: Deliverance studio head Daniel Vávra doubled down on developers’ use of the tool, stating that “it’s time to face reality, AI is here to stay”.
People should understand that any form of automated content generation, including tools like OpenAI and ChatGPT, are just that – tools. They are not replacements for actual talent and creators. At best, they can be used responsibly to reduce development time for certain tasks, allowing developers to create better games using those efficiencies.
When creating games for customers and audiences, any method that reduces development time without compromising talent and skill is a benefit. If used responsibly, AI tools can assist in the production process and be useful for creatives and creators in the field. In this day and age, there should be regular efforts to educate the public about the technology to avoid needless outrage.
It is also worth remembering that there was a time when people opposed digital art and photo-editing tools such as Adobe Photoshop before they eventually became the norm.
Short Beats
Falcom has announced the next Legend of Heroes remake, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter. The upcoming Japanese role-playing game remake will be released for PC, Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 in Fall 2026.
Southeast Asia Games Onward is a Southeast Asian indie game initiative that helps push SEA-made games into the spotlight on Steam, both new and old.
Tencent game Light of Motiram has been delisted from Steam and the Epic Games Store following a lawsuit from Sony accusing Tencent of creating a “slavish clone” of the Horizon series.
Nintendo has won a 15-year legal battle with Nacon over Wii Remote patent infringement, although Nacon is still appealing.
FIFA has officially announced a new football game with Netflix and developer Delphi Interactive. The new title will stream to televisions, use mobile phones as controllers, and can be played either offline or online.
The Steam Winter Sale 2025 is active from now until Jan 6 at 1am GMT+8. Major discounts include:
Metaphor Refantazio for 50 per cent off; this Atlus-made Japanese role-playing game was one of 2024’s best titles.
Glyphica: Typing Survival, a twin-stick shooter-style typing action game by Singapore-based aliasBLACK. The Early Access title costs RM18.74.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, a trilogy of sci-fi role-playing games, now priced at RM19.90 (90 per cent discount).
Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, an action-adventure sci-fi title now priced at RM35.85 (85 per cent discount).
Sid Meier’s Civilization VI, a turn-based strategy title now at RM17.90. Why pay more than RM200 for the sequel when this version is complete and arguably holds up better over time?
Op-Ed
We published a video recapping The Game Awards 2025 and the biggest announcements from the show.
Games Out This Week
Classic PlayStation 1 title Tomba! 2 is out in remastered form for PC, PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2. The port, handled by Limited Run Games and Whoopee Camp, features a rewind system, a save-anywhere option, and a museum showcasing art assets and promotional materials from the original release.
The following titles have received Nintendo Switch 2 ports:
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate, a roguelite action game featuring the iconic four-turtle team named after Renaissance painters.
The Rogue Prince of Persia, a 2D roguelite action platformer using Ubisoft’s Prince of Persia characters.
System Shock, a remaster of the classic PC sci-fi first-person action-adventure title.
Recommended Viewing
Fighting game channel Core-A Gaming has teamed up with Riot Games to create a beginner’s guide to 2XKO and fighting games in general. The video is well presented and useful for learning fighting games beyond just 2XKO.
