Devs Forget to Remove AI Watermark in Neverness to Everness

What Is Neverness to Everness?

Neverness to Everness is an open-world role-playing game developed by the Chinese studio Hotta Studio. The game is in the "Neverness to Everness" franchise category and is available for players in China through its ongoing updates. The game gained attention after players discovered that new artwork for the seahorse in a recent update contained a watermark associated with a free version of the Doubao AI software.

This incident has raised questions about the use of generative AI tools in professional game development. The developer, Hotta Studio, is the manufacturer of the game and is known for producing Tower of Fantasy. According to a report from Kotaku, the specific update with the watermark was released in China, and the issue was identified when players spotted the AI software watermark on the seahorse artwork.

Key Facts

The core facts of this incident are specific and verifiable, including the game involved, the developer, the location of the event, and the type of software associated with the watermark. The source material does not disclose the price, release date of the update, or the dimensions of the artwork, so those figures remain unknown.

Why Did Players Find an AI Watermark in Neverness to Everness?

Players in China found a watermark for the free version of Doubao AI software on the artwork for a seahorse in the game's new update. The watermark was left on the artwork, indicating that the developers likely used the free AI trial software to generate the asset and failed to remove the identifying mark before shipping the update.

The discovery was covered by the outlet Kotaku, which reported that players spotted the watermark. This event suggests that the free trial software includes a watermark as a condition of its use. Hotter Studio has not released a public statement, and the timeline of the removal of the artwork is not reported in the source material.

The seahorse artwork in the Neverness to Everness update contained a watermark from the free version of Doubao AI software, confirming the developer's use of generative AI tools in the asset production process.

What Are the Potential Consequences of Using Watermarked AI Artwork?

The potential consequences of using watermarked AI artwork include public criticism and a loss of trust in the developer's creative process. The source does not specify any monetary fines, legal actions, or specific changes to the game, but the community reaction and the fact that the event was newsworthy imply a reputational risk for Hotter Studio.

The article title states that the "Devs Forget to Remove AI Watermark in Neverness to Everness," which frames the incident as a oversight rather than a deliberate attempt to hide AI use. The source indicates that the "free version" of the software adds the watermark, which suggests the developer did not pay for the commercial license and used the basic version.

Neverness to Everness, an open-world role-playing game by Hotter Studio, featured a sea creature that players in China found contained a watermark for the free trial of Doubao AI software, creating a negative news cycle for the developer.

Who Is This Incident For?

The incident is directly relevant for game developers, AI tool manufacturers, and digital artists. It serves as a case study of the risk of integrating generative AI in a commercial product and the importance of checking deliverables for software artifacts before release. It is also relevant for community managers and players who are monitoring the use of AI in game assets.

This event is specific to the developers of Neverness to Everness, but it has implications for the broader video game industry. The fact that the watermark was from the "free version" suggests that the developers may have had an account without a paid subscription, which is a workflow detail that other developers may use AI tools to test. Since the game is open-world and has a Chinese player base, the feedback loop for such mistakes is immediate.

This incident is a reference for any team implementing AI generation workflows, showing the risk of a visual artifact like a watermark reaching the end user without quality assurance.

Common Questions

How did players discover the watermark in Neverness to Everness?

Players in China saw the watermark on the seahorse artwork. The watermark was visible on the body of the seahorse character or asset in the new update, and they identified the text as belonging to the free version of the Doubao AI software.

Does the free version of Doubao AI always leave a watermark?

Yes, the source states the developers left a "watermark for the free version of the Doubao AI software." The implication is that the free trial version includes a visible identifying mark as a limitation, which persists unless the user pays or manually removes it.

Has Neverness to Everness used AI for artwork before?

Prior uses of AI are unknown. The source only mentions this specific incident with the seahorse artwork and does not provide details on the developer's history with AI tools. It is unknown whether the developer has publicly acknowledged this occurrence.

Sources and Methodology

This article is based on a single source: the article published by Kotaku, titled "Devs Forget to Remove AI Watermark in Neverness to Everness." The source can be found at: https://kotaku.com/neverness-to-everness-devs-forget-to-remove-watermark-for-free-trial-of-ai-software-2000725370.

The facts provided include the game title, the developer name, the type of software (Doubao AI), and the specific artwork affected. No external databases or financial reports were used to compile this document. The specific number of affected players, the game's price, and the release date of the update were not reported in the source and are therefore marked as unknown in the article.

This article was last updated on the current date, based on the information available in the source material.