On the surface, this week’s launch of Pearl Abyss’ Crimson Desert was a huge success. This ambitious single-player open-world action-adventure game sold over 2 million copies in its first day of release, and reviews on Steam were mostly positive. Critics have generally been enthusiastic about the game, praising the combat and the breadth of the game world.
Unfortunately, this announcement has now been overshadowed by accusations of undeclared use of generative AI. So far, we haven’t seen any suggestion that the core elements were created with AI, but we’ve found many examples of strange-looking in-game art that feature AI image generation. Does it matter? For some players, yes.
I found this AI painting. From r/Crimson Desert
The fact that Crimson Desert has been so well received makes the criticism of AI art even more disappointing for many. Suspicious in-game images reported on social media include what appears to be a depiction of a soldier with nonsensical joint weapons and a deformed mutant horse with extra limbs.
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I found this in the game’s artwork. Is this generated by AI? From r/Crimson Desert
I found this in the game’s artwork. Is this generated by AI? From r/Crimson Desert
Is it AI or am I crazy? From r/Crimson Desert
Some players dismissed the complaints, believing that the background art was a small part of the game and didn’t detract from a detailed, expansive world like Crimson Desert. However, many people disagree that this problem can be ignored.
The kinds of artifacts people are finding resemble fairly basic generation AI flaws, so some players are surprised that they can be made into the game without any attempt to fix them. For some, questions arise about the authenticity of the game as a whole. With a reported budget of over $130 million, the developers shouldn’t have needed to rely on AI.
“I wish they would do something about the AI drawings. It takes away from the seriousness,” one player wrote in a comment on a post on the game’s X account. “If I come across a picture in a game, I decide it’s either important or beautiful. But a genAI picture is worse than nothing. It leaves a bad taste in many people’s mouths.”
Crimson Desert’s AI art is no accident. Previously, one of the Black Desert expansions also used AI. From r/Crimson Desert
The use of AI in past games has also been revealed again. For some, that means it’s a slippery slope and a line needs to be drawn.
“Let them use a little AI, and over time they’ll use it for everything. It’s always good to shame big companies and developers who are lazy and disgusting,” one person argued on Reddit.
“If AI is being used in the visible areas, how much is being used in the invisible areas?” wonders another. “Like any unexplained mystery, the text is highly questionable.”
What makes Crimson Desert’s alleged use of AI particularly concerning is the lack of AI disclosure in the game’s description on Steam. This would violate Steam’s policy on the use of AI, which exists to provide transparency and allow gamers to make informed decisions about whether to play games made using AI. Pearl Abyss does not disclose its use of generated AI on its Steam page and has not responded to the accusations at the time of writing.
The use of AI art in video games remains a topic of great debate. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was stripped of Game of the Year and Best Debut at the 2025 Indie Game Awards after some AI-generated placeholder textures slipped through on first launch.
What do you think about the Crimson Desert AI accusations? Is the use of generative AI serious enough to make you stop playing the game?
