XCOM spiritual successor Warhounds dumps its gen-AI portraits, and I'm breathing a sigh of relief

A indie studio has quietly reversed course on one of gaming's most contentious trends, removing generative AI-created character portraits from its upcoming tactical strategy game after player backlash, signaling potential cracks in the industry's rush to adopt the technology. The decision by Warhounds' developers represents a rare moment of developer capitulation to community pressure at a time when major studios have largely doubled down on AI integration despite widespread concern from artists and players. If the move proves popular enough to influence other projects, it could mark a turning point in whether AI becomes a standard tool or a liability in game development.

PCGamesN·Apr 20