Gacha Game Developer Attributes Player Trust Issues to “AI Slop”

Yongha Kim, the producer of Blue Archive, has voiced concerns over the detrimental effects of careless generative AI usage in the gaming industry, warning that it is diminishing creative quality and eroding player trust.

His remarks come in the wake of a tumultuous year wherein AI has sparked fierce debates within the gaming community. Notably, in late 2025, the game *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33* lost an award following scrutiny regarding AI’s role in its development. Meanwhile, Larian Studios began 2026 by publicly announcing its decision to forgo AI in concept art creation, aiming to prevent any potential backlash from players.

In contrast, some game developers are choosing a more balanced approach. Cygames, known for the popular title *Umamusume*, launched a dedicated AI division in January 2026, focused on developing “safe and secure” in-house AI models. This underscores the varied strategies game developers are adopting amid growing player scrutiny over AI technology.

Producer Highlights AI Quality Concerns

During a recent interview with GameMeca, Yongha Kim articulated worries about what he terms “AI slop.”He asserts that reckless applications of generative AI lead to lower-quality content, ultimately damaging the trust players have in games.

Kim clarified that the backlash towards AI is more a reaction to declining quality, rather than a misunderstanding of the technology itself.“First of all, we encounter the issue of AI slop, where reckless generative AI use compromises output quality, ”he pointed out.

Cover illustration for Blue Archive — Nexon

To emphasize his argument, Kim provided a stark analogy: “Even if the packaging is attractive, if the contents are insufficient and the bag is mostly filled with air, consumers will respond negatively.” He believes that AI-generated content often falls short in delivering authentic engagement, creating a disconnect between its outward appearance and real value.

Kim acknowledged the heightened criticism AI faces, particularly within niche genres and subcultures, where players expect an unmistakable sense of artistic integrity. He described current generative models, like transformer and diffusion-based systems, as mere “simulators, ” lacking the essence of creativity and intent.“Is it truly possible to capture an artist’s authenticity in such outputs?”he pondered.

Despite his criticisms of AI, he noted that Nexon Games’ IO division, responsible for *Blue Archive*, employs AI technologies. According to Kim, these tools are intended to assist developers, improving capabilities in areas such as speech synthesis, voice recognition, and alleviating the burden of repetitive tasks.

Source & Images