Despite Krafton’s “AI-first” ambitions, absolutely no generative AI has been involved in Subnautica 2: “It’s not something we’re using at all”
Despite publisher Krafton’s public commitment to becoming an “AI-first company,” the upcoming oceanic survival game Subnautica 2 features no generative artificial intelligence whatsoever. In an interview with Eurogamer, the game’s creative media producer Scott MacDonald and design lead Anthony Gallegos explicitly confirmed that generative AI has not been used in any aspect of development.
MacDonald stated: “No, we’re not using generative AI in Subnautica 2 at all. It’s all traditional person-done.” The team clarified that when they do use AI technologies, they’re referring to traditional AI systems programmed by developers, such as creature AI behaviors. The studio employs conventional game development tools like Unity Blackboard for these systems rather than leveraging generative AI technologies.
This stance represents a notable disconnect between Krafton’s corporate strategy and the actual development practices of its studios. While the publisher has positioned itself as an AI-forward company, Subnautica 2’s development team has chosen to rely entirely on established, manual development methods. The confirmation underscores ongoing industry tensions surrounding generative AI adoption in game development.