Saber Interactive Confirms No Generative AI in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Saber Interactive has stated that its upcoming titles, including the highly anticipated Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, will not utilize generative AI in their development. Tim Willits, Saber's Chief Creative Officer and a veteran developer from id Software, made this clarification in a recent interview with IGN.

"There is absolutely no generative AI in Space Marine 3 or Hellraiser or Stuntman or Turok or Jurassic Park, or [Saber's John Wick game]," Willits told IGN. He added that Saber is open to experimenting with the technology on smaller projects, referencing their game Rideshare Stimulator as a testbed. "But like we said, we're going to experiment with it. Try it out in Rideshare, see if it works. See if people like it. If they don't like it, we're like, 'All right.'"

This cautious approach, particularly for major licensed titles, is seemingly influenced by the requirements of intellectual property holders. Warhammer 40,000's owner, Games Workshop, has implemented strict internal policies prohibiting the use of generative AI in its products and marketing materials. This stance contrasts with the more permissive approach taken by some other major companies, such as Wizards of the Coast.

Despite the company's reservation about generative AI in its larger projects, both Willits and Saber CEO Matt Karch are generally supportive of the technology. Willits views smaller-scale experiments like Rideshare Stimulator as essential for understanding AI's potential and limitations. "If you're going to experiment, it's a good one to experiment on," he said. "If anyone tells you that they have it figured out, they don't. It'll take a couple years and things will settle out and we'll figure it out."

Willits also shared his perspective on the current industry downturn, attributing it in part to large team sizes and overspecialization. However, he suggested that the crisis may not be as severe as often portrayed. He also mused that the original id Software team would have enthusiastically embraced generative AI had it been available during their tenure.