Bullying works once again: Jurassic World Evolution 3 is ditching its AI-generated scientist portraits after receiving backlash for sparing the wrong expense
Jurassic Park was a story about the dangers of using technology to manufacture the beauty and majesty of life so it can be turned around for a profit. Frontier Developments, publisher and developer of the upcoming Jurassic World Evolution 3, seems to have relearned that lesson, announcing earlier this week that it would remove AI-generated art assets before the game's October launch after finding itself on the receiving end of public outcry.
Jurassic World Evolution 3 was announced back in 2024, but we got our first proper look at the dinopark management sequel with a gameplay reveal trailer at Summer Game Fest earlier this month. Potential players were enthusiastic about new features like generational dino breeding, new terrain and scenery customization tools, and balloon tours. Everyone loves balloon tours.
Many of those players weren't as enthused, however, when they visited Jurassic World 3's Steam page to find an AI generated content disclosure statement. The now-removed disclaimer, which you can find on archived versions of the Steam listing, said that "Scientists' avatars are created using generative AI."
Within hours, Steam users started criticizing the inclusion of AI-generated art assets on the game's discussion forum. The longest-running of those threads, posted on June 7 with the title "No gen AI Andy's around here, no thanks," has since reached 18 pages of discourse that I absolutely do not recommend you read.
"So we giving up on humans is that it?" writes thread author frieza137. "May as well not make a game, drink, sleep, walk or do anything. Sad."
Another now-locked thread called the AI portraits part of a "trifecta of 'Nope'" alongside pre-purchase bonuses and Denuvo DRM.
There were, of course, plenty of users who noted that a few scientist NPC portraits are, all things considered, relatively inconsequential bits of art. In response, they received sentiments like those of Steam user Birdskull, who said, "If they get to use AI-generated content in this game without pushback, all they're going to do is push the envelope with every release from here on out. Eat ♥♥♥♥ Frontier."
As disagreements on the internet tend to do, things devolved into 17 days of circular mudslinging until, on June 24, an official Frontier account entered the fray with an announcement.
"Thanks for your feedback on this topic," Frontier said. "We have opted to remove the use of generative AI for scientist portraits within Jurassic World Evolution 3."
A small victory against AI encroachment, sure. But at the end of the day, it's a spat that could've been easily avoided by paying an artist to knock out a few scientist faces. That's worked pretty well so far.
Jurassic World Evolution 3 launches on October 21.