Polish developer 11 Bit Studios has openly acknowledged the integration of generative AI in certain aspects of their latest title, The Alters. In a recent post on BlueSky, the company clarified that this technology was employed during the development phase for work-in-progress assets, some of which inadvertently made their way into the final version of the game.
Transparency in Development
In their statement, 11 Bit confirmed that a portion of the in-game movies featured in The Alters underwent localization through artificial intelligence. They expressed regret over a specific instance where placeholder text was unintentionally retained in the game due to an internal oversight. “We have since conducted a thorough review and confirmed that this was an isolated case, and the asset in question is being updated,” the studio noted.
Additionally, the team mentioned that several licensed films, which players can view in the social area of the game’s base, were incorporated during the final stages of development. While these films were produced externally, the studio did not participate in their creative process. Faced with tight deadlines, the decision was made to utilize AI for last-minute translations rather than engage their usual translation partners. “It was always our intention to involve our trusted translation agencies after release as part of our localization hotfix,” they explained, emphasizing their commitment to ensuring that all texts receive the same level of care and quality as the rest of the game. This process is currently in progress, with updated translations being implemented.
To provide context, the external movies account for approximately 10,000 words out of a staggering 3.4 million words across all languages in the game, representing a mere 0.3% of the total text. The alternative would have been to release these dialogues solely in English, which the team believed would have detracted from the experience for non-English-speaking players. In retrospect, they acknowledged that this decision was not the best course of action. “Even more so, no matter what we decided, we should have simply let you know,” they added.
As AI tools continue to evolve, they introduce both challenges and opportunities within the realm of game development. 11 Bit Studios is actively refining its internal processes to adapt to this changing landscape. Above all, they remain dedicated to maintaining transparency in their game-making practices and appreciate the understanding and support of their community as they strive toward this goal.