After days of blowback from users for genAI use, Larian Studios’ CEO Swen Vincke has posted another response over their company’s use of the tech.

The original backlash came from a botched Bloomberg article that exaggerated how much Larian actually uses genAI, regardless it got enough users upset to prompt a response from Vincke.

Vincke was quick to note that Larian is not replacing artists with genAI, they merely use it for exploring new ideas that artists and creators then make by hand. 

The consistent backlash has been so great that Vincke has posted yet another message clarifying their stance on genAI, before publicly declaring he’s taking a break until the new year.

“Larian’s DNA is agency. Everything we work towards is to the benefit of our teams, games, and players,” Vincke said. “A better work day, and a better game. Our successes come from empowering people to work in their own way and bring the best out of their skill & craft, so that we can make the best RPGs we can possibly make.”

Coming from this, the Larian CEO went on to say it would be “irresponsible” for their company to “not to evaluate new technologies.” Regardless, he noted their processes are “always evolving” and where new tech or processes don’t work out, they’ll make changes.

Here’s the full message from Vincke:

It’s been a week since we announced Divinity, our next RPG, and a lot has become lost in translation.

Larian’s DNA is agency. Everything we work towards is to the benefit of our teams, games, and players. A better work day, and a better game. Our successes come from empowering people to work in their own way and bring the best out of their skill & craft, so that we can make the best RPGs we can possibly make.

In that context, it would be irresponsible for us not to evaluate new technologies. However, our processes are always evolving, and where they are not efficient or fail to align with who we are, we will make changes.

To give you more insight, we’ll do an AMA featuring our different departments after the holiday break, in which you’ll get the opportunity to ask us any questions you have about Divinity and our dev process directly.

We’ll announce the date in the new year. In the meantime, I wish you all happy holidays!