Obsidian Entertainment rejects generative AI and focuses on human art

In a positioning that goes against the market trend, Obsidian Entertainment, developer of RPGs for Xbox Game Studios, rejected the use of generative AI tools in their titles, such as The Outer Worlds 2. This focus on human art and writing stands out, considering that the studio is one of the most productive in the industry.

In an interview with GameFile, developers Josh Sawyer, Kate Dollarhyde, and Leonard Boyarsky discussed the writing process at the studio. Boyarsky rejected his previous speculations from a 2019 podcast about AI-driven writing, stating that the concept would become "too uncontrollable".

Asked about the use of generative AI in writing, Sawyer stated: "It's not something we've been using," with Boyarsky adding: "We haven't been using it at all."

The statement is significant given the work volume of Obsidian Entertainment. Just in 2025, the studio, which had 285 employees in the last count, released three considerably large games:

Avowed (fantasy RPG)

Grounded 2 (survival experience – released in early access)

The Outer Worlds 2 (science fiction sequel)

Furthermore, another team dedicated time to launching a turn-based mode for the 2015 RPG Pillars of Eternity, currently in beta testing on PC.

The positioning of Obsidian contrasts with the advancement of generative AI in other major publishers:

The Electronic Arts (EA) (Battlefield 6) is requiring developers to adopt AI tools, which is causing problems due to "hallucinations" (bugs) generated.

Square Enix (Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy) plans for 70% of quality control work (QA) to be handled by generative AI by 2027.

Krafton (Subnautica 2, PUBG) stated that they are "all-in" on AI by the second half of 2026 and introduced a voluntary layoff program (soft layoffs).

Activision (Call of Duty) has faced criticism for the use of clearly AI-generated items in banners and loading screens.

Obsidian Entertainment does not use generative AI in games like The Outer Worlds 2, maintaining the focus on human art, a position celebrated amidst market pressure. Josh Sawyer and Leonard Boyarsky confirmed to GameFile their rejection of the technology. The studio is highly productive, releasing three big games in 2025 (Avowed, Grounded 2, The Outer Worlds 2), while other publishers like EA, Square Enix, and Kr