The highly anticipated title, Hotel Barcelona, debuted last week to a rather lukewarm response. Garnering a modest Metacritic score of 58 across 15 reviews and a 55% positive rating on Steam, it found itself squarely in the ‘mixed’ category. While not a complete failure, this outcome likely fell short of the expectations for celebrated developers Goichi ‘Suda51’ Suda and Hidetaka ‘Swery’ Suehiro. Adding to the disappointment, fans were further dismayed when the game’s Steam page was updated with a disclosure about the use of generative AI, a full five days after its official launch.
Initially, Hotel Barcelona was presented as a vibrant, maximalist action roguelike, generating immense excitement among fans. The collaboration between Suda51 and Swery held the promise of an unforgettable experience, yet that potential remained largely unfulfilled.
The initial wave of negative reviews predated any public knowledge of the game’s generative AI usage. Critics have consistently voiced concerns over large language models (LLMs) being trained on pre-existing artworks without proper attribution or compensation, a practice that raises ethical questions and threatens the livelihoods of human artists as companies increasingly consider automated alternatives.
As if the game’s performance wasn’t enough of a letdown, players have been vocal about their disappointment online. One user commented, “I also find this disappointing creatively,” regarding the generative AI disclosure. Another expressed strong disapproval, stating, “Not disclosing this before release is a real problem.”
Archival records show that this generative AI disclosure was notably absent from the Steam page as recently as September 30. The sole positive note in this situation is the new disclosure’s promise that AI-generated content “are being removed in an upcoming patch in favor of non-AI generated content.”
This incident mirrors a controversy from months prior, when “The Alters” also launched without disclosing its AI content. Players later discovered evidently AI-generated background text, which developer 11 bit studios acknowledged was merely a “placeholder” that should have been replaced before the game’s release.
In their statement, 11 bit studios noted, “As AI tools evolve, they present new challenges and opportunities in game development.” They added, “We’re actively adapting our internal processes to meet this reality. But above all, we remain committed to transparency in how we make our games.”
This lack of transparency is precisely what has angered players. By adding the AI disclosure only after release, Hotel Barcelona was reportedly in violation of Steam’s Terms of Service for the initial five days. Consequently, players who would have deliberately avoided the game due to its AI content might now find themselves unable to secure a refund. The potential repercussions of this breach are yet to be determined.
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