Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Want to add more newsletters? Every Friday Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them. Every Thursday GTA 6 O'clock Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts. Every Friday Knowledge From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon. Every Thursday The Setup Every Wednesday Switch 2 Spotlight Every Saturday The Watchlist Once a month SFX Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month! Marvel Rivals owner Netease has responded to a strange situation in which Japanese developer Goichi Suda (Suda51) suggested the company had shuttered its generative AI research department and instructed its development teams to avoid the technology. Eager to set the record straight, Netease says no, it is still very much investing in AI tech. As Eurogamer reports, Suda said, "They originally had a section researching and developing AI-related stuff, but at one point they decided not to do that any more. They folded that section and told their studios to not use AI in games, to not use it at all." It seems there was a misunderstanding. Netease says it remains pro-AI in games. A company spokesperson told Eurogamer: "The assertion that NetEase Games has closed an AI department or that we've mandated teams or studios not to use AI is not true." A separate statement to Insider Gaming simply reads: "The situation described did not occur." "We would rather cut off our own arms": Indie devs react to Arc Raiders CEO saying people should assume everyone's using generative AI these days Most gamers aren't actually bothered by gen AI in games, says former Square Enix exec: "Many studios I know" are relying on it, and art or voices like Arc Raiders' are "the tip of the spear" After Arc Raiders AI voice actor controversy, owner Nexon says people should just assume "every game company is now using AI" Moreover, Netease is set to host at least two panels explaining applications of AI in game development at this year's Game Developers Conference. A search shows that the GDC 2026 schedule has two AI-related talks from Netease employees listed – including one game AI designer, one technical manager, and one technical art manager. The first talk, set for mid-day on March 12, reads like a more conventional application of AI. "How AI Turned MMO Players into TikTok Creators," it's titled, promising an explanation of how AI video tools can be used to "extract motion and camera, swap avatars, and refilm the scene" from live-action clips or in-game footage to repackage it for short-form video content. The second talk, coming later on March 12, sounds more like the type of thing you'd expect from a company that's apparently worried about the optics of not investing in AI and inserting it into games. "We'll explore principles for successful AI integration: establishing effective human-AI collaboration workflows, building value-oriented technical services, and creating cross-domain integration strategies," the summary reads, echoing much of the chatter around purported gen AI efficiency. "Through concrete case studies, we'll demonstrate how AI asset optimization toolchains and intelligent workflow transformations delivered over $6 million in cost savings and 50% efficiency improvements." There is clear emphasis on "AI implementation opportunities in game development" and "specific techniques for leveraging AI in art production." Meanwhile, many other publishers and developers are keen to avoid any association with generative AI and the many issues – and backlashes – it brings. Even Rockstar owner Take-Two, whose CEO, Strauss Zelnick, has championed AI as a "great thing for every industry," has been quick to say "generative AI has zero part in what Rockstar Games is building" with GTA 6. "If we're publishing the game, 'no f***ing AI assets'": CEO of Manor Lords publisher Hooded Horse bans gen AI art and calls it "cancerous."