- Expedition 33 is facing backlash for using generative AI in development.
- It did not disclose the use of AI on the Steam page, which led to a huge fan debate.
- The AI assets were later patched out and replaced by custom-made ones.
The use of generative AI in game development has stirred a long debate. Some are totally fine with it, while others hold very extreme views. Even the GOTY winner, Expedition 33, was revealed to have used the tech in development.
This has put the game under massive scrutiny as it didn’t initially disclose the use of AI in development. According to current Steam policies, if AI was used in the development of a title, it requires you to put a label.
Why it matters: This new development has caused a massive uproar among gamers, with some accusing Expedition 33 of being AI-generated slop. This has intensified even more, considering it has won so many awards.
If we head over to the Steam Community and other forums, numerous people are criticizing the game for using generative AI to create some of its assets. The debate kicked off after Larian revealed they’re using the tech too.
Now, in defense of Expedition 33, some assets were allegedly created using generative AI, which were later replaced with fully custom-made assets, but disclosure is always a good idea.

Using generative AI for some things is fine, but since Steam requires you to explicitly mention it on the game page, not mentioning it seems like a bad call, and it could even lead to a takedown.
However, nothing takes away the fact that Sandfall did an excellent job on Expedition 33. It became the most awarded game at The Game Awards ever, which led to a significant boost in sales as well.
What are your thoughts on Expedition 33 under scrutiny for using AI in development? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forum.
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News Reporter
Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.
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