Rebellion, the developer responsible for the Sniper Elite franchise and the recent standout title Atomfall, has stated they have no immediate plans to integrate generative AI directly into their gameplay. In a recent interview with GameSpot, CEO Jason Kingsley made it clear that seeing generative AI used on-screen is not part of the studio's vision for future titles.

"This isn't what we think we should be doing," Kingsley remarked, distancing the studio from the trend of using AI to generate in-game assets or character dialogue.

The Need For A More Nuanced Conversation On AI

While Rebellion isn't looking to use generative AI as a core gameplay element, Kingsley expressed frustration with the polarized nature of the current industry debate. He believes the ongoing discourse surrounding AI in game development has become too extreme, leaving little room for middle ground.

According to the CEO, the online conversation lacks the depth required to discuss the technology's actual impact. He highlighted several key issues with the current state of the debate:

  • Extreme Polarization: Many players and developers are either completely opposed to any form of AI or are pushing for its total implementation.
  • Lack of Nuance: The discourse often fails to distinguish between different types of technology and their specific uses.
  • Need for Meaningful Discussion: Kingsley believes the industry needs a way to discuss ideas without falling into binary "for or against" camps.

Using AI As A Tool In The Development Pipeline

Despite the stance against on-screen generative AI, Rebellion is open to exploring how these tools can assist within the development process. Kingsley suggested that using AI as part of the "tools chain" could provide practical benefits by speeding up iteration and helping designers explore concepts more efficiently.

He provided an example involving a classic Sniper Elite level featuring a prominent viaduct. Using generative AI, a designer could theoretically take a screenshot of that Italian landscape and quickly visualize how it would look under different conditions:

  • Environmental Changes: Transforming a sunny landscape into a snowy one.
  • Time-of-Day Testing: Seeing how a level functions at night versus during the day.
  • Rapid Prototyping: Using AI to see if an idea is "worth exploring with human beings" before committing significant manual resources.

By using these tools for quick, low-cost visualizations, developers can test creative ideas without the heavy overhead of traditional production, potentially streamlining the early stages of level design.