Baldur’s Gate 3 Director Says AI Won’t Save the Industry; It Lacks Leadership, Vision, and a Human Touch
Amid the announcement of Elon Musk’s xAI studio’s first game, which is being fully developed using artificial intelligence, debates have reignited in the gaming world about the future of creative professions. One of the critics of the growing obsession with AI is Michael “Cromwelp” Douse, Publishing Director at Larian Studios — the company behind Baldur’s Gate 3.
The Problem with Overreliance on AI
In a series of posts on X (Twitter), Douse said that the gaming industry doesn’t need “more mathematically produced, psychologically trained gameplay loops” created by algorithms. Instead, he believes developers should focus on building worlds “that folks are engaged with, or want to engage with.”
“AI has its place as a tool, but we have all the tools in the world and they aren’t compensating for the incredible lack of cogent direction. AI isn’t going to solve the big problem of the industry, which is leadership & vision,” Douse wrote.
He explained that the industry’s problems began after the retail collapse, when publishers and developers lost direct contact with their audiences and turned everything into a headless race for financial reports.
“Those who will succeed are those who are people building something for people,” he added.
Douse emphasized that the industry doesn’t need new money-making schemes like AI, cloud services, or VR. Instead, it needs stability and respect for the craft of game development.
“There is no craft without the human touch; the relative skill issue, or ‘the exhibition of otherness.’ To turn games into digital, emotionless content is to abandon all resonance… which is why people play,” he concluded.
