No, the Humankind 2 announcement trailer wasn’t made with gen-AI, despite it sharing a similar kind of look
Humankind 2, the sequel to Amplitude’s acclaimed 4X strategy game from 2021, received its official announcement at Gamescom Opening Night Live pre-show. Rather than showcasing gameplay footage, the announcement trailer featured a stylized cinematic montage depicting Earth’s progression through humanity’s historical ages and civilizational development.
The trailer’s distinctive visual aesthetic immediately prompted widespread speculation among the gaming community about the use of generative AI in its creation. Viewers commenting on the official announcement post on X (formerly Twitter) pointed out the uncanny appearance of the characters and the overall visual style as evidence that AI may have been involved in the footage’s production. The unsettling quality of these visual elements fueled numerous online discussions questioning the production methods.
In response to these concerns, developer Amplitude Studios issued a clarification stating that no generative AI was used in creating the announcement trailer. The studio’s statement directly addressed the speculation circulating in the gaming community, aiming to provide transparency regarding their production approach and reassure audiences about the manual creation of the promotional material.