11 Bit Studios, the developer behind The Alters, has addressed player concerns regarding alleged AI-generated text and translations in the game, pledging to update these elements with manually crafted content.
Last week, players noticed suspicious text in The Alters' Command Center that resembled AI-generated output, including an introductory phrase commonly seen in AI responses. This sparked debate about whether developers had accidentally left placeholder AI text in the final release.
Did The Alters (captain) use a little bit of AI?
byu/EarthlingKira inTheAlters
While the English version contained only this single anomaly, international players reported finding AI translation markers in localized versions. The game currently lacks Steam's required AI content disclosure, further fueling controversy.
In an official response to IGN and on social media, 11 Bit Studios clarified their position. They explained the Command Center text was an overlooked placeholder, with no other AI content present. Regarding translations, the studio admitted using AI for last-minute localization of late-added cutscenes, with plans to replace them with professional translations post-launch.
The studio's complete statement follows:
We've noticed various claims about AI use in The Alters and want to provide full transparency. AI was employed sparingly during development, strictly as temporary material. Crafting meaningful narratives remains fundamental to our creative philosophy.
One graphical designer used AI-generated text as background texture placeholder art. This was never meant for the final product but was accidentally included due to an oversight. Our investigation confirms this as an isolated incident currently being rectified.
We're including an in-game screenshot to demonstrate the context and minimal gameplay impact of this oversight.
Regarding localization, certain late-added licensed videos required immediate translation under extreme time pressure. We opted for AI to ensure multilingual launch availability, always intending to replace these with professional translations post-release. These updates are now in progress.
For perspective, these external videos represent just 0.3% of the game's total text (10k words out of 3.4 million). While we prioritized accessibility, we recognize this decision should have been communicated transparently.
As AI integration evolves in game development, we're refining our processes accordingly. Maintaining player trust through transparency remains our top priority as we navigate these challenges.
11 Bit Studios joins growing industry scrutiny over AI implementation. Recent examples include Frontier Developments retracting AI portraits in Jurassic World Evolution 3 and criticism of Activision's AI usage in marketing materials. Other titles like Palworld have faced but denied similar allegations.
In our review, we awarded The Alters an 8/10, praising its atmospheric storytelling and thoughtfully crafted survival mechanics that build narrative tension effectively.
