Phantom Blade Zero wants nothing to do with AI tech that alters artists' intent as the game enters its final stretch

After years of hype following its 2024 reveal, Phantom Blade Zero is finally set to launch this year. However, the action-RPG was recently spotted on the list of games supporting NVIDIA's controversial DLSS 5 technology, which has been widely mocked for applying what many call "AI slop filters" to game characters. Seeing the backlash NVIDIA faced, Chinese developer S-Game Studio is now steering clear of the generative AI debate entirely, declaring it won't use any AI in the game.

Phantom Blade Zero Game Director Soulframe Liang posted a detailed letter on X about the studio's commitment to human artistry over AI-generated content. "We are fully aware that a profound technological revolution is unfolding around us. However, to this day, every single piece of content in our game has been crafted by the hands of real artists. We will not use AI visual tech that could alter our artists' original creative intent."

According to Soulframe, every part of the game is created from scratch by human artists. Character models use 3D scans of real actors, who performed facial capture. Voice lines were recorded by real talent in both Chinese and English, with full lip-syncing. Developers tested weapons in person and worked with over 20 martial artists, including kung fu and sword experts from Mount Emei. Environments were built from scans of real locations across China, such as ancestral halls and ancient towns.

The post also clarified that there are no AI-generated maps or paintings in the title, and that everything is hand-drawn using traditional Chinese brushes on Xuan paper (rice paper). "We firmly believe that human artistry is not merely a means for creating value; it is the value itself. S-GAME didn't just hire a group of developers to make a game, we decided to make a game that everyone here could be deeply proud of," the statement continued.

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It's pretty clear that S-Game is proud of what its team has built, and the level of craft described goes well above and beyond what most studios commit to. As for NVIDIA and DLSS 5, this doesn't look great. While S-Game doesn't call out NVIDIA or DLSS 5 by name, it's hard to read the statement as anything other than the studio distancing itself and its craft from the AI slop conversation. Phantom Blade Zero is now in its final stages of development ahead of its planned September 9, 2026, launch on PC and PlayStation 5.