A Netease spokesperson has told Eurogamer that statements made by Suda 51 on its generative AI policy are not correct, and that the company continues to work with the technology.
The spokesperson has also pointed to an upcoming GDC talk hosted by Netease covering generative AI.”The assertion that NetEase Games has closed an AI department or that we’ve mandated teams or studios not to use AI is not true,” said a representative speaking on behalf of the publisher. Elsewhere, NetEase has offered a comment saying: “The situation described did not occur, and we have not published any related policies”.
Suda 51, talking to Eurogamer as part of an interview on Grasshopper Manufacture’s upcoming game Romeo is a Dead Man, stated the following: “They originally had a section researching and developing AI-related stuff, but at one point they decided not to do that any more. They folded that section and told their studios to not use AI in games, to not use it at all.”
“I don’t know, they never explained directly why,” Suda continued. “If I had to assume, it was probably one or both of two things. A lot of gamers out there don’t like AI and having it in their games. Another thing is issues with copyright infringement. That can be tricky to get around, and clear before making something. That was probably part of it too – it would be easier to get rid of it altogether. But, again, that’s my assumption. No one told me directly.”
As for Grasshopper’s own involvement with generative AI, Suda 51 also stated the company had not done any research into AI, and he believes there’s something in the human brain that tells them something is off when they see it.
Suda told Eurogamer: “At some point there may be this thing I’ve heard be called the “New Reality”, but even if it does get to that point and it’s really good and realistic, I feel humans have something in their brain that tells them something is off. So while I don’t have a strict opinion either way on people using it in their own games, that’s not the way we do it. That’s one of the things that bring people to Grasshopper games – they can feel people’s efforts themselves. It’s something we’re proud of.
