Hotta Games' gacha title Neverness to Everness is once again at the center of a generative AI controversy. In the game's recent 1.3 update, released in China on August 12, players discovered an AI-generated seahorse asset that prominently features a watermark from Doubao AI, a free AI chatbot assistant from ByteDance. This incident comes after previous accusations of the game relying too heavily on AI assets, despite developer assurances of a commitment to human creativity.
The oversight was noticed by users on the Chinese platform Bilibili, who identified the Doubao watermark, indicating the use of the software's free version. The 1.3 update is scheduled to launch globally on August 19, but China receives updates a week in advance. This marks the third significant AI-related controversy for Neverness to Everness this year.
Previously, Hotta Games acknowledged the use of AI-assisted tools, stating they were applied to a limited number of background and environmental assets, not to core game elements like characters or narrative. The inclusion of a watermarked AI asset, particularly from a free service, has led to criticism regarding the development team's diligence and cost-saving measures, especially considering the game's reported success.