Following Mission Call: Black Action 7, Field 6 is also mired in controversy over the generation of AI. The reason is that its recently launched winter theme kit has been criticized by players as “low-quality AI generation garbage”. The controversy focused on the “Windchill bookle” package, which sold 900 bells containing six items. One of the two-barrelled M4A1 rifles was quickly disseminated after the player uploaded Reddit, prompting the player to criticize the use of AI in the payment prop. In addition to this, the players also pointed out that the range of gestures and sights of the soldiers in the map was abnormally incorrect.
“Get these AI trash out of the store!” Reddit user Willcario wrote in 4,600 endorsements, “M4A1 double tube? Seriously? I’d rather have no stickers than this low-quality AI-generated garbage. Look at Black Action 7 and know how much it gives them “win” content.”
Generating AI applications have become one of the most popular topics in the industry. Even though there may be a rebound for players, distributors face pressure to increase profits by cutting costs and accelerating development. According to the Financial Times, EA is in the process of betting to generate AI after being acquired by the Saudi-led consortium at $55 billion. And long before the takeover, EA CEO Andrew Wilson had made it clear that AI technology was “the core of the company’s business”. Although EA has not yet issued a statement on the allegations related to Field Six, the players have reversed the previous commitments of the developers. In October last year, Rebecca Kutaz, Director-General of the Swedish DICE studio, and the British Clayton studio, which is now part of the Field Studio Coalition, made it clear that field 6 would not have generated AI content.
Rebecca Kutaz stated at the time that although the generation of AI was “very tempting”, it was not yet possible to integrate into the day-to-day work processes of the development team. She also clarified, however, that AI technology would be used in the preparatory phase “to buy more time and space for creative work”. It is noteworthy that this is the first time that Field 6 has faced a major generating AI controversy, and that the Mission Call series has been subject to similar waves in recent years, including the infamous “six-fingered Santa Claus” suit. Earlier this year, as V Society changed the Platform’s rules, moving vision was forced to add “AI Generating Content Disclosure Statement” to the Steam page of Black Action 6. Currently, Field 6 does not have such markings in Steam.
Last month, moving visions were also strongly protested by players over the alleged use of AI to generate artistic resources for Operation Black 7, which resulted in a statement response. In social media, players criticize the use of the “Gypsy-style” suspected AI to generate images, especially business card designs, which correspond to the Aigible-style images that were popular at the beginning of the year. Black Action 7 Steam page is now marked: “We use the Generating AI tool to help develop part of the game material.”
It is interesting to note that the two-barrel rifle in the dispute over Field Six, though strange, has in reality its counterpart, the U.S. double-barrelled M4 test weapon, which appeared in 2018. However, even more questionable by players is the fact that the image as a whole displays a contradiction, which reflects the fact that the current generation of AI still suffers from significant deficiencies in the complex structure.