NTE Studio Responds to AI Concerns

The development team behind NTE: Neverness to Everness has admitted to using some AI-assisted tools in the development of the open-world action RPG, though not as much as some players may fear. Fans of the game have raised strong concerns about the use of generative AI in Neverness to Everness‘ creation, but according to the developer, many of those fears are unfounded.

Neverness to Everness was released worldwide between April 28–29 after less than a week of availability in its developer’s native China. In just over a week’s time, it’s resonated well with fans, holding a strong Top Critic Average of 75 on OpenCritic, highlighting players’ appreciation for its unique modern urban fantasy setting, stylish combat, multi-layered gameplay, and solid opening story hooks.

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NTE Devs Take AI Concerns Head-On

However, like many other games released in recent months, Neverness to Everness has faced criticism over the potential use of generative AI tools, with players claiming to have spotted signs of its presence in backgrounds, in-game storefront ads and posters, and even facial features during character videos. In response, Hotta Studio and Perfect World Games have issued an official response via the official NTE Twitter account, admitting to the use of AI-assisted development tools, but only for the creation of “a small number” of backgrounds and other environmental assets. Two specific instances singled out in the developer’s message are the assets tied to the Clear Skies in Summer arc and the Pink Paw Heist looting game, and the team is already in the process of reviewing and reworking these assets, presumably removing any AI-generated elements from them.

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The developer’s post appears to completely deny the usage of AI in the creation and design of Neverness to Everness‘ characters, expressing a sense of pride in the members of its creative team and the work that they have put forth. “The characters, stories, and world you experience are the work of artists, writers, and designers,” it plainly states. However, the NTE team takes the concerns of its players seriously and states it will continue to be open to player feedback.

Reactions to the official post have shown a mixture of feelings regarding the use of generative AI in games. Many fans who have been enjoying Neverness to Everness so far have indicated that they’re not bothered by the AI usage as long as it doesn’t affect the employment of members of the development team. Others have taken a harder stance, stating they will not play the game as long as AI-generated assets are present, with a few even criticizing the dev team’s leadership over a perceived lack of pre-launch transparency about its use of AI. In fairness, executive director and producer Yang Lei had disclosed the use of AI in Neverness to Everness prior to the game’s release, saying it would be limited to atmospheric elements and renderings created for reference.

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How the public reacts to this admission could affect the trajectory of the game moving forward, as it already seems to be one of the most popular releases of 2026 so far. Many have seen Neverness to Everness as a legitimate competitor to popular HoyoVerse games like Genshin Impact and Zenless Zone Zero, and while its total player counts haven’t been disclosed, it’s put up some very impressive numbers on streaming platform Twitch, already exceeding 1.5 million hours viewed within a day of its release and carrying a peak concurrent audience of more than 98,000.