adminCrystal Dynamics says it uses generative AI during early development of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis to explore ideas and assess prototypes. The studio’s position is that this experimentation can help teams work through concepts more efficiently, while finished content in the game is created by people. The clarification follows criticism of the game’s AI disclosure on Steam.
Image credit: Crystal Dynamics
How Crystal Dynamics generative AI fits into development
Experience director Jeff Adams described one possible use: visualizing a proposed object in a level before committing development time to building it. A temporary AI-generated visualization can help the team decide whether the idea works in the game world. If it does, the concept moves into the studio’s standard production process.
In that traditional pipeline, the team develops the concept and builds the final asset. Crystal Dynamics says AI is intended to support early exploration, not to replace the work involved in producing the finished game. For players, the distinction is useful: a tool used to test an idea is not necessarily part of the final on-screen content.
Why early prototypes can be useful
Testing a visual idea before investing in a full production asset can help a development team make decisions earlier. It may also give artists and designers a faster way to discuss whether an object belongs in a particular setting. The prototype is an evaluation aid; any decision to develop the idea further still leads into the studio’s regular creation process.
- Early stage: visualize a possible object or idea in context.
- Review: assess whether it is worth further development.
- Production: move approved ideas into the established workflow, where the team creates the finished content.
This explanation reflects the studio’s stated approach, rather than a claim that every game developer uses AI in the same way. When evaluating AI disclosures, readers can look for whether a studio distinguishes between concepting, production tools, and material that appears in the final release.
Player concerns and industry disclosure
Generative AI remains a contentious subject among players and game developers. The Steam disclosure for Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis prompted online criticism, making the details of the tool’s role especially relevant. Clear descriptions can help audiences understand whether AI contributed to early ideation or to finished assets, writing, audio, or other released material.
An annual Game Developers Conference survey reported that 36% of game developers were using AI. Separately, a survey conducted earlier in the year found that an overwhelming majority of developers favored robust AI disclosures on digital storefronts, even when the technology had been used only during concept development. These figures describe broader industry views and do not, by themselves, indicate how any particular game was made.
What the studio’s clarification means
Crystal Dynamics describes generative AI as an early-stage aid for visualizing and evaluating ideas, followed by human-led production of the final content. Its explanation offers players a clearer account of where the tool fits in the workflow, while the wider discussion continues to focus on transparency and the boundaries of AI use in games. In short, Crystal Dynamics generative AI is being presented as a prototyping tool, with the studio saying the finished game content is human-created.
