Manor Lords Publisher Says No to Gen AI in its Publishing Contracts

by

Hooded Horse, the publisher of the game Manor Lords, has officially prohibited the use of AI-generated content in the games it publishes, enforcing this rule through its contracts with developers. CEO Tim Bender recently explained the company’s strong opposition to AI and detailed how they are addressing this issue.

Generative AI is rapidly becoming common in many areas, including gaming. This has sparked a lot of debate – some gamers are upset about AI being used in games like Call of Duty, while others applaud Steam for requiring developers to disclose when they’re using AI. While some game developers are excited about the technology, Hooded Horse clearly isn’t among them.

Tim Bender Says No to AI

via Hooded Horse

Hooded Horse CEO Tim Bender recently told Kotaku he strongly dislikes AI-generated art, using emphatic language to express his frustration. While many promote AI as a way to save time, Bender believes it has actually complicated things for his company. He confirmed that no games published by Hooded Horse have used AI-generated art, and their contracts with developers specifically prohibit it, ensuring that any game they publish contains no AI-created assets.

The CEO explained that generative AI is being tested in various games, even in early stages like prototyping where players never see the content. For instance, the creators of Baldur’s Gate 3 plan to use it to quickly create reference images, which will later be replaced with original artwork. However, Bender cautioned that developers might unintentionally include these temporary, AI-generated assets in the final game. He emphasized that the publisher needs to actively monitor development and remove any such content, describing it as a potentially serious problem.

Beyond simply being annoyed with AI, Bender emphasized that his opposition stems from ethical concerns, not just public image. He’s worried about AI systems learning from artists’ work without their consent. This issue is already sparking legal battles, with news organizations and prominent figures like George R.R. Martin, the creator of Game of Thrones, suing AI companies for copyright violations.

The Attitude Towards AI In the Game Industry

There’s a lot of disagreement about AI, even within the video game industry. Dan Houser, a former leader at Rockstar, worried AI would endlessly recycle existing work, comparing it to Mad Cow Disease. Bruce Straley, co-director of The Last of Us, used a similar metaphor, calling it a self-destructive cycle. Alex Kanaris-Sotiriou from Polygon Treehouse even created a “No gen AI” badge for independent game developers to display. However, not everyone is against it. Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, disagreed with Steam’s requirement to label games that use AI, and Patrick Söderlund, CEO of Embark Studios, continues to support using AI in their game, ARC Raiders.

The people actually creating games – developers and actors – have been the most vocal about their concerns regarding AI. They worry about job losses and the possibility of AI replacing human workers. Some developers have even found that using AI tools has created more problems than solutions during the game-making process. As AI becomes more widespread, it’s still unclear whether it will become a permanent fixture in game development or fade away.

Read More

2026-01-09 08:34