10 Games That Got BACKLASH For AI Use
10 Games That Got Backlash for AI Use
AI is one of the hottest button issues to hit the entertainment industry in years. And many players are more than comfortable letting studios know they want no part of it in their games. Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at games that got a ton of criticism for using generative AI.
“Jurassic World Evolution 3” (2025)
The “Jurassic World Evolution” series is as cozy as things can get at Jurassic Park, tasking players with designing and managing their own dinosaur-filled amusement park. The series has amassed quite the strong following, who were pretty disappointed to learn about the developer’s use of generative AI following the third game’s announcement. Thankfully, it was used for something small, scientist portraits to be specific. So, when a thread of angry fans appeared on Steam, developer and publisher Frontier Developments addressed them directly, thanked them for the feedback, and announced the removal of AI assets prior to the game’s launch. This resolved the issue, and the game had a successful release, showing the importance of letting studios know if you don’t want generative AI in games.
“Crazy Taxi: World Tour” (2027)
There was a lot of excitement when Sega announced a revival for the “Crazy Taxi” series. Although, for some players, a bit of that excitement went away when its Steam page went up after “World Tour’s” announcement, with a disclosure of generative AI use. In response to the backlash, Sega released a statement, saying it was used to develop background assets and that everything was still subject to developer review. Series creator Kenji Kanno later clarified that it was used to create concept art as reference for the team’s artists, but that everything in the game would be wholly original. “Crazy Taxi: World Tour” releases in 2027, so it remains to be seen if Sega’s use of generative AI, regardless of what step of development it was used in, will affect it.
“Anno 117: Pax Romana” (2025)
Ubisoft has had so many controversies these past few years, it can be hard to keep track sometimes. Nevertheless, the use of AI in “Anno 117” definitely didn’t slip by unnoticed or unscathed. Not long after launch, players noticed a particular loading screen of a banquet that featured tell-tale signs of AI generation, like warped faces in the background. In response to the discovery and negativity, Ubisoft stated the image had slipped past their review process, and would be replaced in a patch. It also stated that, while “Pax Romana” had the largest team of artists for the franchise, AI tools were used for iterations, prototyping, and exploration. Although the image was replaced, the knowledge of AI use during development was still disheartening.
“Stellar Blade: Blood Rain” (TBA)
“Blood Rain” was already bound to draw up controversy, much like its predecessor. Though this time, the backlash comes from something other than its baby-faced, overly sexualized protagonist. A few months after the game’s announcement, Shift Up released a music video featuring Evie as a marketing stunt, all of which, from its animation to the song, was AI-generated. To say it was ill-received would be an understatement; from the YouTube comments section to the online publications that covered it, the video was met with immediate distaste. Although it has yet to be confirmed if the game itself uses generative AI, Shift Up CEO Kim Hyung Tae has been vocally supportive of it in the past, and this was not a good sign to players.
“Vapor World: Over the Mind” (2026)
This dark, Soulslike platformer comes from a small team that sadly cut some corners by using AI, which forever affected their game’s reputation. Early cutscenes in “Vapor World” were very clearly AI-generated, causing a flood of players to leave negative reviews on Steam due to their low quality. The director responded and apologized, stating he hastily replaced the original scenes with AI because he felt they weren’t detailed enough to bring out the protagonist’s emotions. The cutscenes were replaced, but some players still took issue with the AI-based text-to-speech tools that are used to generate the main character’s voice-over. As of writing, the game still has an AI disclosure on Steam, where it holds a Mixed rating.
“ARC Raiders” (2025)
The launch of Embark Studios’ extraction shooter was mostly surrounded with excitement. But it became subject to some controversy for using AI text-to-speech tools for NPC lines. People were expectedly upset, prompting Embark to respond and clarify that the text-to-speech came from contracted voice actors, so still paid, and that AI was used to save time since they were a smaller team. Embark’s parent company Nexon also responded, stating we should assume that every studio is using AI these days, which obviously didn’t go over well, either. Although some AI voice lines have since been removed, the game retains an AI disclosure on Steam. Interestingly, Embark ran into a similar controversy, also for using an AI text-to-speech program in its previous game, “The Finals.”
“Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis” (2027)
As much as the return of “Tomb Raider” should be celebrated, a lot of fans were shocked and disappointed to learn that “Legacy of Atlantis,” the upcoming remake of the first game, is being partially made with AI tools. Following a State of Play appearance in June of 2026, the game’s Steam page was updated with a disclaimer, stating AI was used for “early exploration and temporary development content,” but that all assets were either replaced or refined by humans. Jeff Adams, Experience Director at developer Crystal Dynamics, tried to clarify when questioned by Game Informer, stating that all content in the final game was human-crafted. But when asked about AI-generated assets entering the actual game engine, Adams was interrupted by a PR rep, who refused to speak any more on it. How much actual AI content is in the game, and how its use will affect its commercial and critical performance, will have to wait until 2027.
“1666: Amsterdam” (2026)
Panache Digital’s gothic adventure follows a witch hunting demons who hide under the guise of regular humans. While the concept and world are interesting, its playable prologue and early access release have received mixed reception due to a variety of factors, including the use of AI. Backlash to the prologue’s AI assets and marketing when it dropped in June 2026 was fierce. This prompted an apology from the studio and an assurance that AI would not be present in the early access and final release versions. A few months later, studio co-founder Patrice Désilets stated AI tools were still being used in development, though less and less, but that no AI assets were in the game. Reception to its early access release has been mixed, though that’s not exactly surprising.
“Call of Duty: Black Ops 7” (2025)
Some franchises are so big, they can be hit by multiple controversies, AI or otherwise, and keep on trucking. “Call of Duty” is one of them. Despite being one of gaming’s tallest giants, with multiple studios working on each yearly entry, AI-generated content crept its way into “Modern Warfare III” and “Black Ops 6” in the form of cosmetics and loading screens. The latest game as of writing, “Black Ops 7,” has been caught with even more AI content, namely player nameplates and multiplayer icons. The game was criticized for a number of other elements, including its poor campaign. But there’s no denying that the increase in AI-generated content has been another in a long list of disappointments for fans.
“Fortnite” (2017)
“Fortnite” is one of the most financially successful video games of all time. But in March of 2026, Epic Games laid off more than 1,000 employees, citing financial losses due to a decrease in player engagement and wider industry challenges like slower console sales. At the time, CEO Tim Sweeney stated the layoffs were not related to AI. But in June, Epic uploaded a video showing how AI is used by the team’s artists. From character designs to location layouts, an artist begins with a sketch, uses an AI program to create a 3D model, and then refines it. This was met with a lot of ridicule, with many pointing out the artist having to fix the AI’s mistakes when designing a character. This confirmation coming so soon after widespread layoffs, of course, made this feel even worse.
Does AI affect what games you play? Did you give up on any of these because of it? Share your thoughts in the comments, and we’ll see you next time.
