Alters Dev Confesses AI Use, Promises Fixes

The developers of The Alters, 11 Bit Studios, have addressed player concerns about suspected AI-generated text and translations in the game, pledging to replace these elements with manually curated content in an upcoming update.

Last week, players noticed telltale signs of AI-generated text within The Alters' Command Center interface. The most glaring evidence was a Captain's log entry prefaced with the phrase, "Sure, here's a revised version focusing purely on scientific and astronomical data:" - a classic AI lead-in that should have been removed during development.

Did The Alters (captain) use a little bit of AI?
byu/EarthlingKira inTheAlters

The issue extended beyond English versions, as international players discovered similar AI signatures in localized text - including phrases like "Sure! Here is the translated text into Brazilian Portuguese." This raised concerns about 11 Bit Studios' localization practices, especially since the game's Steam page lacks Valve-required AI disclosure for games utilizing generative technology.

In a comprehensive response emailed to IGN and shared on social media, 11 Bit Studios explained the circumstances. The developer clarified that the Captain's Log text was an overlooked placeholder, while the AI translations were limited to last-minute additions - representing just 0.3% of the game's total text. The studio emphasized its commitment to handmade storytelling and detailed plans to replace all AI-assisted content with professional translations.

The full statement read:

We've reviewed concerns about AI-generated content in The Alters and want to provide context. AI was used strictly as temporary placeholders during development. Storytelling remains our priority - every element is carefully crafted.

A graphical designer accidentally left one AI-generated text placeholder (intended as background texture) in the final build. Our internal review confirmed this was an isolated incident, and we're updating the affected asset.

We're providing a screenshot to show exactly where this appears, demonstrating its minimal gameplay impact without minimizing the oversight.

For certain late-added licensed videos, time constraints forced us to use AI for translations we always planned to professionally replace post-launch. These represent just 10,000 words out of 3.4 million (0.3%) across all languages. While we wanted to avoid English-only content for international players, we recognize this wasn't the right approach and should have been communicated transparently.

As AI tools become more prevalent, we're evolving our development practices while maintaining our commitment to transparency about how we create our games.

11 Bit Studios joins a growing list of developers facing scrutiny over AI usage, including recent cases with Jurassic World Evolution 3 and Activision's controversial AI-generated ads. Other studios like Palworld have vehemently denied similar accusations.

In our review, we awarded The Alters 8/10, praising its "atmospheric sci-fi character study blended with intuitive base management that masterfully builds narrative tension."