Humankind 2‘s big announcement trailer was called AI slop by many online, but behind-the-scenes footage shows real animals, people, and sets
Last week, during Gamescom Opening Night Live, we got the big announcement trailer for the upcoming Civilization-like strategy game Humankind 2. But quickly after the trailer debuted, people online began claiming it looked like it was partially or completely generated using AI tools. The studio behind the game denied that and has now released an extended behind-the-scenes video of how the trailer was filmed using real sets and people.
On September 4, Amplitude Studios released a minute-and-a-half video filled with behind-the-scenes footage of the production of the announcement trailer. As explained at the start of the new video, this behind-the-scenes look at the trailer’s creation was prompted by a lot of comments online calling the trailer AI slop. But according to Amplitude, no AI tools were used to generate any part of the trailer. Instead, it was a mix of real people, animals, sets, and CG visuals and effects.
The studio behind Humankind 2, launching in 2027, says it partnered with BETC, a creative agency behind several trailers for the original Humankind. The production of the trailer took place across “multiple practical sets, each designed to represent a different era, with unique costumes, props, lighting, and performances bringing every period to life.” BETC also collaborated with CGI and visual effects studio LiveFX to “enhance” parts of the trailer by adding CG tornadoes, explosions, and more.
“Our ambition was to condense the breadth of human history into 73 seconds without losing its emotional weight,” explained Benjamin Le Breton, Creative Director at BETC, via a press release. “Instead of telling a story about civilizations, we wanted audiences to experience them. Seeing the world through the eyes of a newborn allowed us to move across nine different eras and reminds us that while every generation inherits the legacy of those before it, each one also has the opportunity to redefine the future.”
So why did so many people online jump to the conclusion that the trailer was AI-generated? I have a few guesses. For one, I think the way the trailer’s oddly stiff POV shot, combined with a blurriness to the visuals on display, added in post-production, tripped some people. And I imagine a lot of people only watched this on their phone, where it is harder to spot details. Add in people being generally nervous that everything they see is AI slop, alongside Gamescom featuring games that do use genAI, and you have a recipe for a lot of people calling a trailer made by people and starring real people AI-generated.
I’ve made it no secret around these parts that I hate AI-generated content. But I also think people need to be careful with throwing around accusations without hard evidence or confirmation. If you call everything that looks a bit off or fuzzy or bad “AI slop,” you just make it easier for real slop to pass by while making people who worked hard on something real feel like shit for no reason.