Developers of Popular Party Game Issue Apology Following Review Bombing Over AI Video Contest Controversy
Party Animals is a lighthearted physics-based party game where players engage in playful brawls as cute animals while tackling mini-game challenges reminiscent of Mario Party. Since its launch in 2023, it garnered positive reviews, with many players logging hundreds of hours. However, its reputation took a nosedive when the developers announced a generative AI contest, igniting outrage within the community.
On May 12, the official Twitter account revealed the “Party Animals AI Video Contest,” inviting players to submit AI-generated videos featuring “positive content centered around the Party Animals IP” for a chance to win a share of a hefty $75,000 prize pool.
To clarify, this wasn’t just a typical fan video contest that allowed AI; the rules explicitly stated that “AIGC must be the core creative tool, including but not limited to AI-generated images, video, music, voiceovers, 3D assets, etc.” The announcement also emphasized that “all submissions must be original works” and warned against plagiarism or unauthorized use, which is ironic given that many generative AI models rely on appropriated art.
As expected, players expressed their frustration. Many vowed to boycott the game, earning thousands of upvotes on social media. The game’s Steam rating quickly plummeted to “Mostly Negative,” with dedicated players leaving comments like “Rest in peace, loved this game but they’re leaning into AI now so I will no longer support this company” and “The game itself is pretty decent, but do not support these developers for their blatant support of genAI.”
Just two days after the announcement, the developers issued an apology and seemingly canceled the contest, stating their “original goal was to lower the barrier to creation.” They are now conducting a poll to decide the contest’s future, offering three options: cancel the contest, convert it to an AI-free contest, or maintain the AI category while adding a separate one for traditional art. Unsurprisingly, the cancellation option is leading by a significant margin.
It’s somewhat uplifting to see the community unite against AI, but the damage has already been done.
The pro-AI stance promoted by the contest is baffling, and it’s something players are unlikely to forget anytime soon. The announcement suggested that AI could bring to life ideas that previously existed only in imagination, which undermines the creativity that players have always had the ability to express.
Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this situation is the $75,000 prize pool for AI-generated videos. It’s disheartening to think about the many developers who have lost their jobs due to AI advancements and would jump at the chance to earn that amount. Instead, the focus is on promoting a tool that threatens to diminish human creativity, which is the very essence that makes Party Animals enjoyable. What are we doing here?
