adminLucas Pope’s current game remains under wraps, as the creator of Papers, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn is choosing to share less about his work in progress. He says concerns about ideas being copied or absorbed by AI have made him less comfortable discussing a project before it is finished.
Why Lucas Pope’s current game is still a mystery
Speaking on the Mike & Rami Are Still Here podcast with No More Robots co-founder Mike Rose and Vlambeer co-founder Rami Ismail, Pope explained that his approach to talking about unfinished work has changed. He enjoys discussing projects, but the current climate has made him more cautious about revealing details.
Pope did not describe the game’s story, mechanics, setting, or expected release date. Instead, he said he worries that a central idea could be copied or “slurped up by AI.” He emphasized that this is not a strict rule; it is a personal feeling that has affected how much he wants to share.
For readers following the project, that means there are no confirmed gameplay details to evaluate yet. Until Pope chooses to discuss it further, it is best to treat speculation about the game’s premise or launch plans as unverified.
How AI concerns are changing creative discussions
Pope’s comments reflect a broader debate among people who make and play games. Developers may share early concepts to build interest, gather feedback, or connect with an audience. At the same time, discussing an idea publicly can make creators uneasy if they believe it could be imitated or used in ways they did not intend.
AI has added another layer to those concerns. The podcast comments do not establish that Pope’s work has been copied or used to train a system; they describe why he feels less comfortable sharing details. Keeping a project private can also help a developer preserve creative flexibility while ideas are still changing.
A recent example of the wider industry debate involved a former translator who worked at Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 studio Warhorse Studios. The former employee claimed he had been “fired and replaced with AI.” That statement is an allegation, and it should not be treated as independently confirmed fact based on the claim alone.
What to watch for next
Pope said he hopes his discomfort will ease so he can talk more freely about his work again. For now, the clearest update is simply that he is developing a game and is being selective about what he reveals. Following his own announcements and interviews is the most reliable way to learn when concrete information becomes available.
Until then, Lucas Pope’s current game is best understood as an unannounced project with no publicly confirmed details about its design or release. His comments offer insight into a creator’s caution, rather than clues about what the finished game will contain.
