11 Bit Studios has issued a clarification regarding the use of generative AI in their new game, The Alters. Following user discoveries of questionable elements, such as tell-tale AI-generated phrases in the Captain`s Log and poor subtitle translations, players accused the developers of concealing their use of AI. This was especially criticized given the absence of the required AI disclosure on the game`s Steam page, as mandated by Valve. The explanation was posted on X (formerly Twitter).
In their statement, the developers explained that the AI content was only used temporarily during development and was not intended for the final release. One such asset mistakenly ended up in the release version but has since been replaced.
Regarding the translation issues, they stated that this affected only a small portion of text (less than 0.3%) related to licensed in-game video clips. According to the studio, the AI translation was a temporary solution due to tight deadlines, and a high-quality localization is already being prepared for an upcoming patch. The developers admitted they should have informed players beforehand and promised to review their internal processes. The question concerning the lack of an AI disclosure on the Steam page remains unanswered for now.
Finley Holt