Over the weekend, Crimson Desert joined the likes of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Divinity, and Battlefield 6 by becoming embroiled in a generative AI controversy.
The title, which launched to decidedly mixed reviews, featured dozens of paintings clearly generated by AI. One shows off a horse with too many legs, another a group of men with warped faces. Its developers, Pearl Abyss, said the placeholders were left in by accident and sincerely apologized for the oversight, but it left another sour taste in players’ mouths.
But while many are angry, outspoken former Blizzard CEO and now-CEO of a gambling site, Mike Ybarra, defended its use, saying developers shouldn’t “feel the need to bend over” in the wake of backlash.
Former Blizzard President Defends Crimson Desert AI Use
“Why apologize? AI, in one form or another, will be in every single video game,” Ybarra, credited in games such as Gears of War and Halo 5, said in response to Pearl Abyss’ apology tweet. “I don’t get why devs feel the need to bend over for the few folks who can’t accept the reality that AI will be in every single thing – from video games to your fridge (it already is).”
As if his response wasn’t tone-deaf enough, Ybarra ended things by telling Crimson Desert’s developers to “man up.”
Naturally, his words didn’t go down too well on the internet. One reply to his tweet said, “BREAKING: CEO doesn’t understand why exploitation is bad,” while another added, “I’m always amazed at how soulless you corporate suits are. People want art handcrafted by real people.”
Ybarra wasn’t the only loudmouth to comment on the situation either, with God of War veteran David Jaffe throwing in his two cents.
“I don’t give a s**t, if some f**king art among all the other things they’re doing in this game [is generated by AI]” Jaffe said in his latest video. He continues by mocking players who are upset with the inclusion, before saying, “shut up, you unbearable piece of s**t”.
Jaffe’s words continue to prove just how out of touch he is with the wider gaming community. But for somebody who thinks Starfield has the best single-player narrative in video games, his views on AI probably come as no surprise.
- Released
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March 19, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
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Pearl Abyss
- Publisher(s)
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Pearl Abyss
