Owlcat on AI Use in Expanse RPG Development

Owlcat on AI Use in Expanse RPG Development

Owlcat Addresses AI Use in The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Development

Background

I see Owlcat Games getting into big trouble over using AI for their new project. You might remember them from games like Pathfinder, but fans are very mad now. I think the studio is trying to explain their hard choices to everyone. They say the final product is all human work, but the start involves robots. This creates a confusing message for you and me.

AI Used for Prototyping

I read what Katharina Popp said about their internal process. She told Eurogamer that they use bots only for mood boards and quick placeholders. You can see how this speeds up the early stages of design. I notice they promise that writing and voices stays 100 percent real people. This rule sounds good, but you should look closer at the vague words they use. Every design choice still start with a machine prompt.

Community Reaction

I see people on Reddit and Bluesky getting really angry about this. One person say that you cannot have a human game if you start with AI. I feel that many players think this shortcut is very dirty. You should listen to the fans because they buy the games. The studio did not make the crowd feel better with their talk.

Industry Context

I know other companies like Pearl Abyss and Larian also use these tools. Even the teams making Anno 117 says they use AI for early ideas. You are seeing a big trend where studios use bots as a digital helper. I think the line between human art and robot art is getting very thin. Look at how many studios are following this same path lately.

Future Outlook

I believe Osiris Reborn will try to give you a hand-made experience. They are using the books and the TV show to keep things right. You have to decide if you like a game that started as a computer draft. I will watch the launch to see if the game feels like real art. Time shows us if gamers will accept this new way of working.