There's an ever‑growing list of games that have faced backlash for AI‑generated placeholder art, from Pearl Abyss's Crimson Desert to The Alters and even Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. When Slay the Spire 2 launched to Early Access in 2026, it was littered with roughly scrawled placeholder art.

Mega Crit co‑founder Casey Yano recently explained the decision to avoid AI art in favor of scribbles in a GameSpot interview, citing the need to communicate the game's early‑access status and make card functions obvious.

He argues that generative AI removes authorial intent, so some communication would be lost if the studio used AI art instead of hastily scrawled sketches. “If we use art that looks nearly complete, then people would think that’s going to be the final art. It has to look like shit. It’s important that it looks like shit,” he says.

The crude drawings also help avoid confusion among players and artists, acting as a framework for narrative beats. Fans have praised the humor, and Yano plans future contests for community‑drawn “janky” monsters, possibly offering an option to toggle the placeholder art once the game exits Early Access.