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Hooded Horse Formalizes Contract Ban on Generative-AI Assets in Published Games

The indie publisher frames the policy as an ethical commitment to human artists in a sharply divided industry.

Overview

  • CEO Tim Bender said all publishing contracts now prohibit any AI-generated assets in games released under the Hooded Horse label.
  • The company says it will not work with studios that use generative AI and urges partners to avoid the technology at every stage, including placeholders.
  • Bender cited prior cases of AI placeholders slipping into builds as justification for a blanket prohibition and labeled the risk “cancerous” to quality control.
  • He characterized the stance as a pledge to protect staff artists, noting recent titles such as Terra Invicta launched without AI disclosures on their storefront pages.
  • The policy highlights a broader split as firms like Ubisoft, EA, Embracer, and Nexon promote AI while others impose limits, with legal uncertainty underscored by the U.S. Copyright Office’s stance on AI-only works.