Developers of Neverness to Everness left a watermark from a free-trial AI software on artwork within the game's latest update [1].
The incident highlights the growing tension between game studios and players regarding the use of generative artificial intelligence in professional art production. While AI is increasingly common in development, the presence of a trial watermark suggests a lack of oversight in the final quality assurance process.
Players in China discovered the watermark on the artwork of a seahorse [2]. The mark indicated that the asset was created using a free-trial version of Doubao AI software [2].
Hotta Studio and Perfect World Games, the developers behind the title, used the software to generate assets for the game [1]. The developers left the trial watermark in the final game build, which became visible to the public shortly after the most recent update [2].
The discovery occurred after the update was deployed to players [2]. The watermark specifically linked the seahorse imagery to the Doubao AI trial version [2].
This oversight reveals the specific tools being used by the studio to populate the game world. The use of a free-trial version for a commercial product has drawn scrutiny from the community regarding the studio's production pipeline [1].
“Developers left the trial watermark in the final game build.”
The presence of a free-trial watermark in a commercial release suggests a breakdown in the asset pipeline and quality control. As game studios integrate generative AI to reduce costs and speed up production, transparency and the legal status of AI-generated assets remain points of contention for players and artists.
