Developer of breakout hit Dispatch calls AI a creative solution for developers ‘who aren’t creative’
Dispatch’s developer has come out against the use of AI tools in the creative process
Dispatch developer AdHoc Studio has taken a firm stance against the use of generative AI in the creative process, saying that the tools aren’t “a creative solution.”
Dispatch is a superhero workplace comedy “where choices matter”. The game, which was released last month, has been a breakout hit for the studio, earning over 220,000 players at its peak on Steam, a significant achievement for a single-player title from an unknown studio.
Now, the game’s developers have come out against the use of AI tools in the creative process. When asked about the use of the tools in Dispatch, the game’s creative director and studio co-founder denounced the controversial software.
“No AI is going to do what he did,” AdHoc founder Nick Herman told GamesIndustry.biz. “He brought something to that character that we weren’t expecting. I mean, his performance and Aaron’s performance and our whole cast are bringing performances and elevating the material in a way that you’re just not going to get [with AI].
“You’re not going to be surprised because it’s built on something you’ve heard before if you go the AI route. So, yeah, honestly, AI feels like a production solution, not a creative one. Maybe it’s a creative one if you aren’t creative.”
Michael Choung, the game’s executive producer and fellow co-founder of the studio, said that what AdHoc is making has “got to be made by people.”
“Whatever we’re building, it has to connect,” says Choung. “It’s got to be made by people. It’s got to connect to people. We’re looking at AI, we’re monitoring the stuff that AI is doing, like everybody else. But… it seems to be having a lot of trouble trying to get to a ‘good enough’ spot. And ‘good enough’ for us is the enemy.”
The use of generative AI in video games is becoming an increasingly contentious topic, with some players believing that it shouldn’t be used in place of original creative ideas.
Last year, Valve published new guidelines for developers looking to release games on Steam, introducing its new AI disclosure section where developers “need to describe how you are using AI in the development and execution of your game”.
Valve said it would use this disclosure as much as it can on Steam pages, allowing players to make informed purchasing decisions when it comes to content that may use AI.
