Developer S-Game Studio has stated it will not use AI visual technology in Phantom Blade Zero that could alter its artists' original intent. The Beijing-based studio emphasized human craftsmanship in the game's development following its listing among titles supporting Nvidia's DLSS 5. The action-RPG is set for release on PS5 and PC later this year.
S-Game Studio announced its position on generative AI via the official Phantom Blade Zero account on X on April 10. CEO Qiwei Liang, known as 'Soulframe', wrote: “We are fully aware that a profound technological revolution is unfolding around us. However, to this day, every single piece of content in our game has been crafted by the hands of real artists. We will not use AI visual tech that could alter our artists’ original creative intent.” The studio did not name Nvidia or DLSS 5 directly, but the statement follows backlash against the upscaling technology's demo, which was said to produce unnatural NPC appearances, and Phantom Blade Zero's inclusion on a support list for the feature on GeForce RTX 5090 cards. Phantom Blade Zero's development highlights authentic techniques. Character models derive from 3D scans of the cast, voice acting features full lip-syncing in Chinese and English, and weapons were forged by real swordsmiths for motion capture. Environments draw from scanned Chinese locations, including ancestral halls in Fujian, ancient towns in Zhejiang, and old steel factories in Beijing, reimagined as 'Kungfupunk.' In-game maps were hand-drawn with Chinese brushes and rice paper by artists from the Central Academy of Fine Arts. The studio described the team as in final development stages, focusing resources to refine the wuxia-inspired action game. Liang added: “We firmly believe that human artistry is not merely a means for creating value; it is the value itself. S-GAME didn’t just hire a group of developers to make a game; rather, in our pursuit of continuously building an exceptional, passionate team, we decided to make a game that everyone here could be deeply proud of.” The game launches September on PS5, Steam, and Epic Games Store.
