Crystal Dynamics confirms AI use in Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis for early development

Crystal Dynamics Clarifies AI Disclosure on Steam Page

Crystal Dynamics has addressed the controversy surrounding Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis after an AI disclosure on Steam page raised questions about the role of generative AI in the game's development. Speaking with Polygon and Game Informer, experience director Jeff Adams explained that the studio uses AI tools in early level development to test concepts before committing developer time to building assets1

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. The disclosure, which appeared following the game's reveal at Summer Game Fest 2026, stated that generative AI was used for "ideation," leaving significant room for interpretation within the gaming community.

How AI Tools Support Early Level Development

"At Crystal Dynamics, we see AI as a tool that can help our team get the right answers faster," Adams told Polygon1

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. He provided a specific example of the game development process: when the team has an idea for an in-game object but isn't certain whether to invest developer time building it, they use a generative AI tool to visualize it in the world. If the concept works, the team moves it into their traditional asset-building pipelines where human artists concept and build it from scratch2

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. Adams emphasized that all human-crafted final content in the finished game will be created by the development team, stating, "We want to make it as easy as possible for our team to be able to make high-quality experiences. That's what the fans deserve"1

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Player Backlash and Industry Trends

Despite Crystal Dynamics' explanation, the studio's approach to AI in game development has sparked heated debate across social media and gaming forums. As Gamereactor notes, many players question whether a game can truly claim to be entirely human-crafted if AI was used at any stage of development2

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. This skepticism reflects broader tensions within the gaming community about generative AI adoption. Other high-profile developers including Larian Studios and Sandfall Interactive have faced similar criticism after disclosing their AI usage. Meanwhile, Sega confirmed AI use in Crazy Taxi: World Tour, Square Enix faced suspicions over Kingdom Hearts Collection I-III cover art, and Ubisoft continues investing heavily in AI technology1

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What This Means for the Future

When Game Informer attempted to probe deeper about how much of the initial AI-generated assets remain in final builds, a PR representative intervened to end the conversation, suggesting the studio would be more comfortable discussing details after the game's release. Amazon Games, the publisher backing Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, has indicated support for AI adoption, with GM Jeff Gattis describing the company as "bullish" on the technology1

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. As WCCFtech observes, while players continue voicing concerns about studios using generative AI, there hasn't yet been meaningful evidence of consumers voting with their wallets against such practices. This suggests AI tools may become increasingly common in asset-building pipelines despite ongoing resistance, making transparency around AI disclosure practices critical as industry trends evolve.