Hotta Studio admits AI was used in neverness to everness after players spot the signs
Trust takes a hit as players find AI art in a game that sold itself on human craft
When Neverness to Everness (NTE) launched, its marketing emphasized the handiwork of artists, writers, and designers. But within days of release, players spotted visual artifacts that looked anything but handmade. Blurry edges, flickering textures, unnatural lighting in background scenes — telltale signs of generative AI. The discovery forced developer Hotta Studio and publisher Perfect World Games to confirm what many already suspected: AI-assisted tools were used on some of the game’s environment art.
The admission landed awkwardly for a game trying to position itself as a premium gacha experience on PS5, PC, Android, and iOS. And it did not come with an apology. The studio called the controversy “feedback” and said it would review the flagged material. For a community already wary of generative AI creeping into games, that was not enough.
How players found the AI assets
Twitter user Hourly Nicole posted a video clip of the game with a caption that read: “isnt this the most obvious usage of gen ai !😭 nte isnt even hiding it.” The clip showed visual oddities commonly associated with AI generation — strange transitions, inconsistent detail, objects that did not quite hold together under motion. The post spread fast, and other players began combing through trailers and in-game footage for more examples.
Two specific pieces of content were flagged most often: the video “Clear Skies in Summer” and the trailer “Pink Paws Heist.” Both showed the kind of visual glitches that signal AI involvement rather than human error. Hotta Studio later confirmed that those two videos are being “reviewed and reworked.”
The studio’s response, word for word
Hotta Studio addressed the backlash in a social media post. The full statement read:
“Dear Appraisers,Thank you for the feedback. It matters to us.Neverness to Everness is built on human creativity. The characters, stories, and world you experience are the work of artists, writers, and designers. AI-assisted tools were used only on a small number of background and environmental assets, not on the characters or stories that define this game.We’re already reviewing and reworking the flagged assets: ‘Clear Skies in Summer’ and ‘Pink Paws Heist’.Your feedback shapes this game, so please keep it coming. We’re listening, and we’re committed to delivering the quality you deserve.Sincerely, The NTE Team”
The studio drew a clear line: AI touched backgrounds, not characters. But it did not say whether human artists would replace the AI-generated work entirely. It did not apologize. And it did not explain why AI assets shipped in the first place if the game was supposedly built on human creativity.
Ironmouse says she was misled during sponsorship talks
The controversy took a sharper turn when VTuber Ironmouse went public. She said that during negotiations for a paid stream of Neverness to Everness, representatives from Hotta Studio and Perfect World Games told her directly that the game contained no generative AI. She said she was lied to.
Ironmouse has a stated policy of not playing games that use AI, so the alleged misrepresentation matters. If a paid promoter was given false information during contract talks, the issue moves beyond community anger and into potential legal and reputational territory for the studio.
A voice actress issues an ultimatum
Meggie-Elise, a voice actress who worked on Neverness to Everness, did not mince words. She said she would leave the game if the AI-tainted art “is not addressed and removed.” Her stance highlights a growing tension inside the industry: voice actors, artists, and writers watch studios adopt AI tools while their own creative labor is being marketed as the product’s selling point.
AI in gacha: a transparency problem
Generative AI is not new to game development. Many studios use it for concept work, placeholder textures, or internal prototyping. The issue here is that AI-made assets shipped in a finished product, and the studio only acknowledged it after players caught it. That sequence — use AI, ship it, get caught, confirm it — erodes trust more than the AI use itself.
The involvement of paid promoters complicates things further. If a VTuber was told one thing during a sponsorship negotiation and the public later learns a different truth, the credibility of both the studio and the promotional channel takes a hit. Ironmouse’s allegation suggests the studio knew this was a sensitive topic and tried to manage the message rather than be upfront about it.
What happens now
Hotta Studio says it is reworking the two flagged videos. The question is whether that means removing the AI artifacts, replacing the footage entirely, or scrubbing references to those assets from promotional material. The community will likely judge the studio by what it ships next, not by what it says now.
The lack of a clear apology and the vague language around “reworking” assets leave room for doubt. Players want to see concrete action — patched visuals, a timeline, and a commitment to not repeat the practice. Without those, the controversy will follow every future trailer and update for Neverness to Everness.
For a new gacha game trying to establish itself in a crowded market, that kind of baggage is hard to shake.