Pearl Abyss has issued a public apology after AI-generated artwork was discovered in its game Crimson Desert without proper disclosure. The controversy erupted when players identified an in-game painting depicting a battlefield scene that showed clear signs of generative AI, including soldiers and horses blended together in unnatural ways. Despite the obvious AI origins, the developer had not used Steam's required generative AI disclosure on the game's store page.

In a statement posted on X, Pearl Abyss acknowledged that the artwork was created using experimental AI generative tools during early development stages to explore tone and atmosphere. The studio claimed these assets were never intended to appear in the final release and should have been replaced by human artists after internal review. Pearl Abyss admitted it "should have clearly disclosed our use of AI" and apologized for the oversight.

The developer has now updated Crimson Desert's Steam store page with the appropriate AI disclosure and launched an internal audit to identify and replace any remaining AI-generated assets. Updated content will be rolled out in upcoming patches. The incident highlights growing tensions around AI transparency in gaming as players increasingly scrutinize the creative process behind their favorite titles.