Crimson Desert appears to use generative AI art—and if so, the devs never disclosed it

Though one of the most beautiful and breathtaking games I've played in a long time, Crimson Desert seems to have fallen afoul of the undisclosed use of generative AI. As first spotted by Bluesky user https://bsky.app/profile/lexluddy.xyz/post/3mhizpfjnbc2a, the Oakenshield Manor in Hernand, a place you frequently visit during the game's initial parts, appears to have an AI-generated wall painting that depicts a battle scene from Pywel's history. From the distorted faces and headless horses that look like the stuff of nightmares, we can deduce that this is likely an image generated by some AI model. Whether it's a placeholder or a deliberate inclusion in the final product is unclear at this time. As soon as we saw this, we reached out to Pearl Abyss for comment, but had not heard back by the time this article was published. We will update it with new information if and when it becomes available. This is the painting in question. Screenshot by Destructoid In the meantime, this is probably a case similar to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, where placeholder art and ideation made it into the game's final build unbeknownst to the developers—an issue that's likely to become all the more common as AI is taking up an ever-larger part in the conceptualization process. That game, which went on to sweep through the awards season, also wound up being disqualified from the Indie Game Awards many months after the AI art in question was removed from the game and replaced with what was supposed to go there at release. Crimson Desert is the result of immense effort and artistry, and even though I am genuinely disappointed to see this in the game, it should not be used to construct a case against the title or its stunning visuals, which are one of its stronger characteristics. If it turns out that it isn't AI (the odds of which are very low) I wouldn't want to ever see into the mind of the artist making this painting, as this is the stuff you see when you're running the highest fever in your life and witness a battle scene that looks like it was painted by Hieronymus Bosch. The post Crimson Desert appears to use generative AI art—and if so, the devs never disclosed it appeared first on Destructoid.

Mar 21, 2026 - 03:08

Crimson Desert appears to use generative AI art—and if so, the devs never disclosed it

Though one of the most beautiful and breathtaking games I've played in a long time, Crimson Desert seems to have fallen afoul of the undisclosed use of generative AI.

As first spotted by Bluesky user https://bsky.app/profile/lexluddy.xyz/post/3mhizpfjnbc2a, the Oakenshield Manor in Hernand, a place you frequently visit during the game's initial parts, appears to have an AI-generated wall painting that depicts a battle scene from Pywel's history. From the distorted faces and headless horses that look like the stuff of nightmares, we can deduce that this is likely an image generated by some AI model.

Whether it's a placeholder or a deliberate inclusion in the final product is unclear at this time. As soon as we saw this, we reached out to Pearl Abyss for comment, but had not heard back by the time this article was published. We will update it with new information if and when it becomes available.

This is the painting in question. Screenshot by Destructoid In the meantime, this is probably a case similar to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, where placeholder art and ideation made it into the game's final build unbeknownst to the developers—an issue that's likely to become all the more common as AI is taking up an ever-larger part in the conceptualization process.

That game, which went on to sweep through the awards season, also wound up being disqualified from the Indie Game Awards many months after the AI art in question was removed from the game and replaced with what was supposed to go there at release.

Crimson Desert is the result of immense effort and artistry, and even though I am genuinely disappointed to see this in the game, it should not be used to construct a case against the title or its stunning visuals, which are one of its stronger characteristics.

If it turns out that it isn't AI (the odds of which are very low) I wouldn't want to ever see into the mind of the artist making this painting, as this is the stuff you see when you're running the highest fever in your life and witness a battle scene that looks like it was painted by Hieronymus Bosch.

The post Crimson Desert appears to use generative AI art—and if so, the devs never disclosed it appeared first on Destructoid.

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