Larian says “A lot has been lost in translation” — here’s what their AI clarification actually means

Why Larian’s AI clarification actually matters for players

What changes for gamers: probably not the thing you feared. Larian Studios, riding the goodwill of Divinity and Baldur’s Gate 3, says its upcoming RPG Divinity will contain “everything” written by humans and “human actors” in the finished product. But the studio also confirmed it’s using generative AI for placeholders and concept art during development – and that admission sparked a week of online backlash that CEO Swen Vincke is now trying to tamp down.

• Core assets stay human-made: Larian says final writing and performances are human, not AI-generated.
• AI is being used early: tools are employed for placeholder text and concept art, not for finished content.
• Transparency and accountability coming: Larian plans an AMA after the holidays to explain workflows and answer questions.

This caught my attention – and why you should care

This caught my attention because Larian isn’t a fly-by-night studio; they build games where authorship and agency are core selling points. When a studio known for dense written choices and hand-crafted dialogue says “we’re writing everything ourselves,” that’s meaningful. But so is the fact they’re using AI in the pipeline – even if only for placeholders and concept art. Those early-stage decisions can subtly shape the final product, and that’s what artists, modders, and players worried about.

Breaking down Vincke’s clarification

After a Bloomberg interview and a week of backlash, Vincke posted on Twitter: “It’s been a week since we announced Divinity, our next RPG, and a lot has become lost in translation.” He reiterated Larian’s commitment to “agency” — for teams, games, and players — and said it would be “irresponsible for us not to evaluate new technologies.” He also promised that any process that doesn’t “align with who we are” would be changed.

More bluntly, Vincke told Bloomberg: “Everything is human actors; we’re writing everything ourselves.” Internally, developers are reportedly using AI to generate placeholder text and to speed up concept art generation. Vincke has pushed back against claims Larian is replacing artists, saying the studio is expanding its artist pool rather than shrinking it.

Why “placeholder” AI is not automatically harmless

Calling something a “placeholder” doesn’t erase its influence. Concept art and rough scripts guide asset creation, combat flow, and narrative beats. If AI influences those early iterations, studios need clear guardrails: who reviews AI outputs, how are credits and ownership handled, and what datasets trained the models? Larian’s pledge to hold an AMA is a good step because it answers the “show your work” question — not just for PR, but to reassure the artist community and players who care about provenance.

Context: Larian’s track record and the bigger industry debate

Larian’s reputation rests on dense, handcrafted RPGs — complex systems and writer-driven choices that reward close attention. That pedigree makes any use of automation a sensitive subject. Vincke previously told GameSpot the studio uses machine-learning to automate “tasks nobody wants to do,” which sounds reasonable until you ask who decides which tasks those are.

The debate around generative AI in games has been loud all year: studios promise efficiency, while artists and writers worry about invisibly exported labor and model training on their work. Larian sits in the middle: a popular creative studio exploring tools that could speed workflow, but that also needs to protect the craft that made it famous.

What gamers should expect next

• Larian will host an AMA after the holidays to explain their process — that’s where concrete answers should arrive.
• If you care about authorship, watch for details: who signs off on concept art, how is AI used in writing sprints, and will AI contributions be credited?
• For players, the practical takeaway is simple: Larian says the final game will be human-written and performed. That matters for tone and player agency.

I’m cautiously optimistic. Larian has earned trust through games that feel handcrafted; using AI to cut repetitive tasks could free creatives for the fun parts. But trust is fragile — and in 2025, “we used AI for placeholders” needs more than a one-line defense. The upcoming AMA is Larian’s chance to show process, not just intent.

TL;DR

Larian insists Divinity’s final writing and performances are human-made and will use AI only for early-stage placeholders and concept art. That distinction eases immediate fears, but players and creators should expect detailed follow-up — starting with the studio’s post-holiday AMA — before giving full trust.