Facepunch Studios issues response to AI slop in its new game S&box

The latest game from Garry’s Mod developer has received mixed reviews on Steam with users calling into question the use of generative AI in the game.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere these days and it’s spreading its tendrils into gaming. The latest game to be put on notice regarding the use of generative AI is S&box, a new game by Facepunch Studios, the team behind critically acclaimed Garry’s Mod.

Source: Facepunch Studios

Facepunch Studios has issued a post-release statement offering a look at how the company is reacting to some of the feedback players have offered for its new game, S&box. Chief among this feedback are complaints related to “AI slop.” The Steam page for S&box offers the disclaimer that the game “contains user-generated content, which may contain AI generated stuff,” but goes on to clarify that it does not “AI generate anything.”

The statement acknowledges some users will use generative AI to “create” content and that dismissing games as “AI slop” does an injustice to the developers. The statement doubles-down on supporting AI, noting that “AI is the teacher now” and says that the company is not an AI-based product but it’s also not anti-AI either.

Here is the official statement posted in full:

The huge majority of games are created by smart, dedicated humans. So when the games are dismissed as “AI slop” it’s really an injustice to the work those developers have put in.

Some games have their thumbnails created by AI and so get dismissed too. I don’t think these guys are doing themselves any favours, but it’s easy, so people do it.

AI is the teacher now. It’s how people are going to learn how to program from now on. They’re going to be generating their own examples and have it explain the code to them. I feel that outright banning the use of AI is a bad thing, because I’m not worried, I think human creativity is always going to win out.

We’re not an AI based product in any way, but we live in the real world, so we’re not anti-AI either. We’re not going to put a pointless AI Assistant button for no good reason. We’re not going to shove any AI tools down your throat. We’re not gonna have a “make game” wizard that generates code for you. But if the best game in the world is made using the help of AI we’re not going to tell you that you can’t post it.

Our discovery algorithm isn’t perfect right now but we’re improving it every day. The main aim is that the good games float to the top and the bad games float to the bottom, while offering new, fresh content to people all the time.

If developers are okay with players using generative AI in their game, then they will also need to come to terms with the fact many players will not be okay supporting a game that allows this. As Vince Gilligan accurately calls it, AI is a “plagiarism machine.”

This isn’t the first time a major developer has been in hot water when players learned AI had been used in its creation. Embark Studios utilized a form of AI in critically acclaimed ARC Raiders and The Finals. The developer used the voices of paid actors and used AI to generate additional lines. The studio has since addressed these concerns by re-recording many lines with real voices.

Stay tuned to see whether Facepunch Studios has a similar come-to-Jesus moment with the use of generative AI in its platform.

Shacknews staff does not use generative artificial intelligence (AI) in their content. Shacknews strictly prohibits the use of its content for AI training or to generate text, including text in the style or format used for this publication. Shacknews reserves all rights to this work.

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he’s found his new family here at Shacknews as Head of Guides. There’s nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler