All The Video Game Studios That Refuse To Use Generative AI - Aftermath

What the report says

Aftermath published a feature on July 29, 2026, by Nathan Grayson compiling video game studios that say they will not use generative AI in their work. The piece is framed as an ongoing tracker and opens with a strongly critical stance toward AI, arguing that studios can and should continue making games without it. Aftermath says the list is intended to be updated as more developers come forward.

The article includes statements from a range of mostly independent studios, presented alphabetically, explaining their opposition. Abandoned Sheep, maker of Schrodinger’s Cat Burglar, said its game is generative-AI-free and emphasized wanting “human connection” in art. Alien Fruit Games said Dungeon Bodega Simulator was made without generative AI and described contract language aimed at preventing its use by clients and contractors. Apparition Games cited concerns that AI models rely on work taken from creators without permission or compensation.

Other studios in the Aftermath list raise practical, legal, environmental and creative objections. Blue Bottle Games, known for Neo Scavenger and Ostranauts, pointed to uncertainty around copyright ownership, possible infringement, reliability problems, dependence on AI vendors, resource use and job impacts. The Beauty Cult, Can’t Get Enough Games, Causeway Studios, Chequered Ink and cirqueSaw are also shown rejecting AI for reasons including artistic integrity, environmental costs, misinformation risks and community impacts.

The feature matters because generative AI has become a divisive issue across entertainment and technology, including game development. Publishers and studios are weighing potential workflow benefits against legal risk, labor concerns and player backlash. Aftermath’s article documents one side of that debate: developers publicly positioning human-made work as part of their identity and production standards.