Larian CEO Responds to Divinity Gen AI Backlash: 'We Are Neither Releasing a Game With Any AI Components, Nor Are We Looking at Trimming Down Teams to Replace Them With AI' - IGN
Larian CEO Swen Vincke addresses Divinity generative AI backlash: no AI in final games, no job cuts, and a growing creative team
Following a Bloomberg report that framed Larian Studios as pushing hard on generative AI for internal tasks, CEO and game director Swen Vincke clarified that Larian will not ship games with AI components and is not reducing headcount to replace staff with AI. The studio’s stance: machine learning tools are used selectively to streamline early ideation, not to generate shipped content or displace artists and writers.
What sparked the backlash
- Bloomberg noted Larian uses AI internally to explore ideas, flesh out decks, draft placeholder text, and assist with early concept exploration.
- Community reaction was swift, with criticism from developers and fans, including a former Larian environment artist urging the studio to rethink its approach.
- Bloomberg’s piece mentioned some internal pushback; Vincke said most of the team is now comfortable with how tools are used.
Larian’s clarified position to IGN
- No AI-generated content in Divinity’s final release; writing, performances, and translations are all human-driven.
- No plans to cut or replace teams with AI; the goal is to make workdays better, not worse.
- Studio growth continues: 72 artists total, including 23 concept artists, with active hiring for more.
- ML tools are additive and optional within workflows, not a substitute for creative craft.
How AI is actually used at Larian
- Early-stage ideation only: exploring references and rough composition, similar to using search engines or art books.
- Original concept art replaces any early mockups; shipped assets and performances remain fully human-made.
- Focus is on reducing drudge work and enabling creatives to spend more time creating.
Context for fans
- Larian recently announced its next game, Divinity, at The Game Awards; Vincke confirmed it’s a turn-based RPG.
- While some fans remain wary of generative AI in game development, others differentiate between internal ideation and shipped content.
Bottom line
Larian is expanding its creative teams and experimenting with ML as a limited, behind-the-scenes tool. Divinity will not include AI-generated content, and no roles are being replaced by AI.