Party Animals, a beloved multiplayer indie game where players control adorable, brawling animals, has garnered a dedicated following since its 2023 release. The game, known for its consistent and well-received content updates, is a rare example of a successful indie “game as a service.” However, the developers, Recreate Games, nearly jeopardized this success with a poorly conceived decision: hosting an AI art contest.
On May 12th, the studio announced a contest inviting fans to create short videos using generative AI tools, with a grand prize of up to $15,000 USD. This announcement was made across their forums and social media accounts.
The backlash was immediate. Numerous players expressed their disappointment, citing the studio’s endorsement of generative AI—a technology criticized for its reliance on stolen content and significant environmental impact. Many vowed to uninstall the game and boycott it entirely.
Consequently, the game, which previously boasted predominantly positive reviews on Steam, began receiving hundreds of overwhelmingly negative reviews.
The backlash was so intense that the studio felt compelled to respond. Two days later, they issued a new statement acknowledging the player discontent and asking the Party Animals community for guidance on how to proceed. Below is a translation of their message:
Hello everyone. We want to address the recent discussion surrounding the AI video contest, and first and foremost, we sincerely apologize for upsetting players with this event. We also regret that we did not communicate everything clearly before the event began.
Our original intention was to lower the barrier to creation. In past contests, we’ve seen players with great ideas who couldn’t bring them to life due to unfamiliarity with editing, modeling, or animation tools. We hoped AI would serve as a more accessible tool, allowing more people to participate.
That said, we understand the concerns surrounding AI content. We do not wish to dismiss handcrafted work or disrespect artists. For us, AI is simply another tool, and what matters most is the idea, the expression, and the final outcome.
We want the community to decide the next step. Please vote on what we should do:
- Cancel the AI video contest.
- Change it to a non-AI art contest.
- Keep the AI category and create a separate category for handcrafted art.
As of this writing, the results overwhelmingly indicate a desire to cancel the contest entirely.
However, this apology has not been enough to quell the anger. The studio’s statement that “for us, AI is simply another tool” has led many players to suspect that Party Animals may already contain AI-generated content that has not been disclosed on its Steam page. They have stated their intention to continue boycotting the game until Recreate Games provides clarification.
It remains perplexing how the studio believed this initiative was a good idea. The video game community’s rejection of generative AI content is widespread, and numerous studios have faced controversy for utilizing these tools. Some more speculative players even theorize that the contest was sponsored by an anonymous AI tool, with the game’s creators being compensated for its promotion.
Regardless, it is unlikely that Party Animals will fully recover its positive image after this incident. The clear lesson learned is to avoid using AI tools in game development and to refrain from supporting those who do.
Party Animals is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.
