Players noticed specific images in Crimson Desert. They suggested that the art was generated by artificial intelligence.
The creators of Crimson Desert admitted that they used AI technologies in their work:
During the development process, some 2D visual elements in the early stages were created using experimental generative AI tools. These materials helped us explore the style and atmosphere of the project in the early stages of production. However, we initially intended to replace such elements after final refinement and review by the art and development teams to ensure they met our quality standards and creative vision.
The developers of Crimson Desert explained that some of these AI materials mistakenly made it into the final version of the game:
This does not meet our internal standards, and we take full responsibility for this situation. We also acknowledge that we should have openly communicated about the use of AI. Although these tools were mainly used in the early stages of production, with the subsequent replacement of the materials created by them before release, we understand that the lack of transparency from our studio cannot be justified. We sincerely apologize for these omissions.
The creators of Crimson Desert are checking the content — the AI elements promise to be replaced:
We are currently conducting a comprehensive audit of all game materials and taking steps to replace the affected content. Updated elements will be included in future patches. In parallel, we are reviewing our internal processes to ensure greater transparency and consistency in communication with players in the future.