The Alters developers admit to undisclosed use of generative AI for translations and background text

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Over the weekend, the team behind this month’s indie hit The Alters, 11 Bit Studios, found themselves at the heart of a controversy concerning generative AI. This was ignited when a screenshot was posted on Bluesky, showing what seemed to be text translated using a generative AI like ChatGPT. This screenshot was particularly questionable as it appeared to have retained responses from the AI, such as “,” which reads like an immediate response to a prompt given to a service such as ChatGPT. Other users also noted that numerous translated subtitles in the game hinted at AI usage. After remaining quiet for a few days, 11 Bit Studios has now issued a statement regarding the issue.

The Alters developers are caught using generative AI for background text and translations

The Alters is an enthralling game. The narrative revolves around Jan, the lone survivor of an expedition to an extraterrestrial planet. To endure, he exploits a resource indigenous to the planet to access alternate realities. However, these aren’t exact duplicates; instead, Jan’s “alters” are distinct versions of himself who made disparate choices in their lives, like becoming an engineer or a botanist. These skills prove crucial for surviving on an alien planet. What truly sets The Alters apart is that it delves beyond simply deciding which alters to generate or managing them, but also grappling with the intricate relationships Jan shares with his other selves. Not all of them will be content with their circumstances. Critic Giancarlo Saldana’s review on Gamepressure describes it as “a riveting, existential survival experience that delves into identity, regret, and self-acceptance in ways that few games endeavor to do.

As a passionate fan, I must say, it’s truly disappointing to see such a sloppy oversight mar an otherwise masterfully crafted game like The Alters. It was shaping up to be a glowing review on Steam until this controversy came along. Eurogamer has shed some intriguing light on the matter, even sharing insights from people who worked on localizing the game for different regions.

A game localization specialist named Lucile Danilov, expressing her love for the game, stated, “Look, I adore The Alters. It’s superbly written, and I was all set to pen a glowing Steam review once I finished playing. But this is a disgrace.”

Handong Ryu, who translated The Alters for Korean audiences, also chimed in, acknowledging the same issue exists in the Korean version. “Unfortunately,” she said, “the same problem persists in the Korean version… I can confirm that the same section of the Korean localization shows clear signs of having been processed through an LLM without proper editing.

As a gamer, I’ve heard some folks say this minor detail tucked away in the background didn’t really matter to them, suggesting it was never meant for players to read in the first place. But whether we’re cool with AI in video games or not, Steam mandates developers to disclose if they’ve used AI in their game. Sadly, 11 Bit Studios failed to do just that.

11 Bit Studios has given a detailed explanation on Bluesky about the viral story. Initially, they tackled the screenshot showing the AI-generated responses. They clarified that this was merely a temporary placeholder and “was not part of the planned final release”. Regrettably, due to an internal oversight, this placeholder text was inadvertently left in the game. To provide transparency, 11 Bit Studios also shared an image demonstrating where this screenshot appears within the game. They further stated, “We don’t wish to minimize the situation, but it’s important to clearly illustrate its minimal effect on your gaming experience.

11 Bit Studios disclosed information about the subtitles in their game, “The Alters.” In the game, players can watch a few licensed movies as an optional activity. Due to this feature being added late in development, the subtitles for these videos were localized using AI at the last minute so they could be included on the game’s release. This text represents approximately 0.3% of the total words found in the game across all languages, which is about 10,200 words out of a grand total of 3,400,000. The team acknowledged that although they had no other viable option at the time, they now realize this decision was not ideal. They also expressed regret for not informing players earlier about this situation.

In simpler terms, it seems that people’s reactions to posts on Bluesky aren’t understanding or accepting. Many top responses suggest that 11 Bit Studios may be sorry for being exposed rather than for any specific action they took. Additionally, one user noted that there hasn’t been any disclosure about AI usage on Steam yet.

11 Bit Studios admitted their employment of AI and acknowledged mistakes in that area, further clarifying that any issues are being addressed. The debate sparked by this scenario goes beyond the application of generative AI in video games; it’s about determining the threshold of acceptable use and forgiveness. Will fans overlook AI usage in such a minor aspect? Or is any percentage, like 0.3%, unacceptable? To ensure trust with consumers, developers should always disclose AI integration, no matter how minimal. For now, we’ll observe fan reactions to gauge their tolerance level.

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2025-06-30 20:32