Nintendo Denies AI Use in Mario Kart World Artwork, Sparking Debate on AI in Gaming

Nintendo: No, We Didn't Use AI for Mario Kart World Artwork

Mario Kart fans on social media pointed out some fairly unusual imagery in the game after Nintendo live-streamed the title during a recent official livestream. Nintendo has clapped back at rumors that it used generative AI to create some of the visuals in its upcoming Switch 2 launch title Super Mario Kart World. "AI-generated images were not used in the development of Mario Kart World," a Nintendo spokesperson told Eurogamer earlier this week. The rumors emerged after Mario Kart fans on social media pointed out some fairly unusual imagery in the upcoming game, following a recent official livestream of the title. Images included a billboard featuring a car with surreal proportions -- massively elongated windows and a minuscule chassis underneath -- practically defying the laws of physics. Though Mario Kart isn't exactly a franchise known for realism, some YouTubers posited that Nintendo used generative AI to produce the image. Generative AI, while capable of producing photorealistic images it is also notorious for creating visuals with bizarre proportions, like rendering humans with six fingers. Regardless of whether Nintendo used AI-generated artwork, the idea of big-budget AAA games featuring AI assets isn't far-fetched in 2025. Activision recently admitted it had used generative AI to produce visual assets in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone, after players spotted a six-fingered zombie Santa in one of the loading screens -- prompting mixed reactions from gamers. Generative AI is also already being used for voiceover work in major titles like the Polish-language version of Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, and even for writing dialogue in many games. However, it's unlikely we'll see generative AI in upcoming Nintendo titles anytime soon. In a 2024 Q&A session for investors, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa shot down the idea of the company using the technology for future titles, citing potential intellectual property issues. Mario Kart World is currently scheduled for release on June 5, 2025, as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2. It's perhaps understandable gamers are nitpicking details in Mario Kart World -- it's set to retail at $80, one of the highest prices ever recorded for a newly released video game (barring things like collector's editions or monthly subscription fees.)

The Mario Kart AI 'scandal' reveals the strange state of digital art today

Perhaps the only thing more exciting than the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement this year was that of Mario Kart World. The next instalment of the beloved racing franchise will launch with the new console on 5 June. But somewhat surprisingly for a game with such already iconic visuals, the graphics have come under scrutiny, with some gamers accusing Nintendo of using AI. Some gamers took to social media to claim that footage from a recent Nintendo Treehouse livestream showing Mario Kart World gameplay showed clear signs of AI-generated content. And seeing as Nintendo has proclaimed it won't use AI for game development, we didn't see this one coming. Of particular note to gamers were billboards adorning the side of a track, which featured fairly strange or rudimentary illustrations. Then there was a quirky font on another billboard, whose imperfect edges suggested, some said, AI upscaling. Some assets in Mario Kart World appear to be either AI upscaled or made with generative AI from r/nintendo Ninendo has since denied the claims, telling Eurogamer, "AI-generated images were not used in the development of Mario Kart World." But the surprising thing here perhaps isn't the fact that Nintendo didn't use AI, but that it saw the need to defend itself in the first place. For a start, there's the basis for some of the claims. One of the suspected AI billboards features a car with an unusual design. A car with an unusual design? In Mario Kart? Never. As for the font, a quirky and cartoonish font? In Mario Kart? Never. Indeed, while we've seen plenty of claims of egregious AI use in video games from Fallout to Call of Duty, the Mario Kart accusations show that we've reached a point where, as AI art gets harder to spot, anything can be accused of being made with it. Which begs the question, where will it end? All of which is not to say that pointing out lazy or unwarranted AI use is a bad thing. Nintendo's swift response proves that brands don't want to be wrongly associated with AI - as we know, it's one of the biggest risks to a brand's reputation right now. But if AI's ubiquity has reached a point that background assets of even the most famously cartoonish game are ripe for accusations, then these are strange times for digital art indeed.

Nintendo Insists AI-Generated Images Were Not Used in the Development of Mario Kart World After In-Game Billboards Sparked Speculation - IGN

Nintendo has disputed accusations it used AI-generated images to create billboards in Mario Kart World. Rumors began to swirl when a Nintendo Treehouse livestream gave us a closer peek at the upcoming racer a few weeks back. Eagle-eyed fans pointed out that a handful of in-game advertising boards looked a little strange, with images of a construction site, a bridge, and a peculiarly tall car all raising eyebrows. Of course, many pre-release titles include placeholder graphics that won't be included in the final product, but Nintendo refuted claims that anything, even in its pre-release game, was AI-generated, saying in a statement to Eurogamer: "AI-generated images were not used in the development of Mario Kart World." Generative AI is one of the hottest topics in the creative industries right now and a burning issue within video game development itself. Apart from ethical and copyright issues, labor unions have expressed concern about the potential for generative AI to replace jobs, and video game performers have called for increased protections against its use. In September last year, Nintendo developer legend Shigeru Miyamoto said the company would rather go in a "different direction" than the rest of the video game industry when it comes to AI. For example, EA CEO Andrew Wilson has said AI is "the very core of our business" -- a comment IGN subsequently explored in more detail. But according to Miyamoto, Nintendo has a different outlook. In an interview with The New York Times, Miyamoto brought up AI himself as an example of something where Nintendo would rather do things differently than its peers. "It might seem like we are just going the opposite direction for the sake of going in the opposite direction, but it really is trying to find what makes Nintendo special," Miyamoto said. "There is a lot of talk about A.I., for example," he continued. "When that happens, everyone starts to go in the same direction, but that is where Nintendo would rather go in a different direction." Miyamoto's comments followed those made by Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa in July, who said generative AI can be used "in creative ways," but its use "also raise issues with intellectual property rights." "We have decades of know-how in creating the best gaming experiences for our players," Furukawa added. "While we are open to utilizing technological developments, we will work to continue delivering value that is unique to Nintendo and cannot be created by technology alone." The highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 -- for which Mario Kart World is a console exclusive -- is set to debut on June 5. Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders went live on April 24, with the price still fixed at $449.99 -- and they went about as well as you'd expect. Check out IGN's Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order guide for more.