There have been growing reports following the recent developments of AI, especially in the creative fields which threaten thousands if not millions of jobs. You got Writer’s Strike protesting the use of it and many people in the gaming industry speaking out against its use. Unfortunately, the are many people who use it for everyday tasks without realizing the harm that such behavior could be causing. The truth is that AI tools like ChatGPT are popular because of how easy they are to use and their convenience. It’s even gotten to the point where those responsible for The Lord of the Rings (LOTR): Gollum are being accused of using ChatGPT to generate sentiment among disappointed fans.
The LOTR: Gollum Apology
Whenever a LOTR game is in the works, it’s going to draw a lot of attention. The announcement and production of LOTR: Gollum by Daedelic Entertainment had many excited to play their favorite tragic creature in his very own adventure. This was quickly replaced by a crushing disappointment following the game’s release for which the developers felt the need to apologize.
The issue is that examination from multiple sources like the Video Games Chronicle hints that the published apology was written by ChatGPT. The rumors surrounding this arose when an X/Twitter user named Knoebel drew attention to a video interview by German YouTube Channel GameTwo. During it, members of Daedelic provided details implying that ChatGPT was used to author the apology sent to fans.
LOTR: Gollum seemed like a pretty solid idea on paper. It allowed players to experience this fantasy world from the perspective of a conflicted, pitiful, and yet pivotal character. Considering his stature and physicality, Gollum must rely on stealth and navigation in order to succeed. Upon release, players were met with an unexpected number of bugs and glitches that rendered parts of the game unplayable. This generated a lot of negative feedback and response from the community, prompting Daedelic to respond.
If it does turn out that ChatGPT was used to write the apology for LOTR: Gollum, that would demonstrate a big lack of authenticity which could hurt Daedelic’s reputation among the gaming community. Of course, the best way to make up for releasing a broken game would be to read feedback and then fix the game.
