Sometimes showcasing cutting-edge technology backfires spectacularly. TiGames found themselves in an uncomfortable position this week after their upcoming action game Zoopunk appeared in an Nvidia demonstration of generative AI tools back in January 2025. When the game resurfaced during the Xbox Partner Preview on November 19, suspicious fans immediately questioned whether the stylish rabbit protagonist adventure was actually made by AI rather than human artists. The studio had to issue a clarification stating emphatically that all their work is original human creation.
The controversy highlights growing tensions in the gaming industry around generative AI use as developers navigate between legitimate technological tools and crossing ethical lines that threaten human creative jobs. For Zoopunk specifically, the confusion stemmed from the game being featured as the poster child for Nvidia’s ACE autonomous game character technology, which uses AI to power dynamic NPC interactions and player-driven customization tools.
The Nvidia Demo That Started Everything
In January 2025 during CES, Nvidia unveiled Zoopunk as a tech demo showcasing their ACE technology for autonomous AI-powered game characters. The demonstration video showed a developer interacting with an NPC through voice commands and using AI tools to customize a spaceship by drawing simple designs that were instantly generated into detailed 3D models using Stable Diffusion image generation running on device.
The video description stated this innovative experience allows players to interact with NPCs and customize their own landing ship, showcasing the potential for player-driven generative AI in next-generation games. Built with Nvidia ACE, Audio2Face technology, and the first use of on-device in-game Stable Diffusion image generation, the demo positioned Zoopunk as a flagship example of AI integration in gaming.
That demo flew somewhat under the radar at the time, but when Zoopunk reappeared during the Xbox Partner Preview event in November with an extended gameplay trailer, eagle-eyed fans immediately connected the dots. If the game was being used to demonstrate AI asset generation, was the actual game itself made with AI? The questions started pouring in across social media and Reddit, forcing TiGames to respond publicly.
What the Demo Actually Showed
The Nvidia demonstration took place in a floating kitchen above a sea of clouds where players could have natural language conversations with NPCs powered by AI. The character would respond dynamically to player questions and requests rather than following scripted dialogue trees. The second component showed a player drawing rough sketches of vehicle modifications that were instantly transformed into detailed 3D assets integrated into the game world.
This technology represents a significant leap in how players might customize games in the future, eliminating the need for complex modding tools or 3D modeling knowledge. However, the demonstration raised legitimate questions about whether AI was generating core game content like environments, characters, or animations rather than just serving as a player-facing customization tool.
TiGames Issues Clarification
TiGames released a statement to Eurogamer and other outlets clarifying exactly how AI is and isn’t being used in Zoopunk. All our works are original creations and the culmination of our artists’ hard work and dedication, the company stated. AI will only be used to assist players in producing user-generated content at a lower cost, such as vehicle skins, clothing color schemes, and similar items. In other words, AI serves as a tool to support players in secondary creations and in maintaining the mod community.
The studio emphasized that the core game including environments, characters, animations, and gameplay systems was built entirely by human developers and artists. The generative AI components exist solely as tools for players to create their own customizations without needing technical modding expertise. This positions AI as an accessibility feature rather than a replacement for human creativity in the development process.
The clarification draws an important distinction between AI used during development versus AI provided to players as creation tools. Many games already use various forms of AI for procedural generation, pathfinding, and other technical systems without controversy. The line that generates backlash is when AI replaces human artists, writers, or voice actors in creating the core content players experience.
What Is Zoopunk Actually
Setting aside the AI controversy, Zoopunk is a fully 3D action game serving as a prequel to TiGames’ critically acclaimed 2021 Metroidvania title FIST Forged in Shadow Torch. Set decades before the events of FIST, Zoopunk expands the Animal Punk universe by chronicling the turbulent origins of Torch City, an animal metropolis on the brink of revolution during the First Torch War.
Players control Rayton the Rabbit joined by companions Braton and Trixie as they infiltrate enemy territory to seize an enigmatic object called the Spark while racing to protect Torch City from catastrophic threats. The discovery of fire seed energy sparked an age of rapid technological progress and catastrophic conflict, eventually awakening mechanical debris into self-aware war machines that turned against their creators and established a mechanical empire bent on domination.
Combat and Gameplay
The extended gameplay trailer showcased fast-paced third-person combat with acrobatic moves, explosive abilities, and combo-based attacks reminiscent of Devil May Cry and Bayonetta. Rayton wields dual energy swords while navigating post-apocalyptic sci-fi landscapes on a motorcycle, battling creature-like foes and massive war machines. Support characters augment combat capabilities during larger fights, suggesting a companion system similar to other action games.
The game is being built in Unreal Engine 5, delivering significantly improved visuals compared to the 2.5D Metroidvania style of FIST. The shift to full 3D action represents a major evolution for TiGames, expanding their scope from side-scrolling exploration to open-environment hack-and-slash combat. Early comparisons draw parallels to Biomutant for its anthropomorphic animal protagonists combined with stylish character action combat.
FIST Forged in Shadow Torch Legacy
Understanding the controversy requires context about TiGames’ previous work. FIST Forged in Shadow Torch launched in September 2021 for PlayStation and PC, receiving critical acclaim for its dieselpunk aesthetic, tight Metroidvania design, and impressive technical implementation including ray tracing, DLSS, and Nvidia Reflex support. The game follows Rayton the talking rabbit on a quest to save his friend from an oppressive Machine Legion regime that colonized Torch City.
FIST featured three unique weapons including the titular mechanical fist, a drill, and a whip that players switched between for different combat situations. The interconnected map design, challenging platforming, and arcade-styled combat earned positive reviews. The game demonstrated TiGames’ technical competence and artistic vision, which is why the AI controversy surrounding Zoopunk felt particularly jarring to fans who appreciated the obvious human craftsmanship in their previous work.
The dieselpunk visual style with ray-traced reflections enhancing metallic surfaces, pipes, and industrial environments created a distinctive aesthetic that stood out in the crowded Metroidvania genre. Underwater areas featured ray-traced caustics adding realistic light refraction. The attention to detail in environmental storytelling and world-building showcased deliberate artistic choices rather than algorithmic generation.
The Broader AI in Gaming Debate
The Zoopunk situation reflects larger industry tensions around AI integration. Developers face pressure to implement cutting-edge technology while also responding to legitimate concerns from artists, voice actors, and other creative professionals whose livelihoods could be threatened by AI replacement. The line between using AI as a tool versus using AI as a replacement remains hotly contested.
Voice actors have been particularly vocal about unauthorized use of their voices to train AI models that could replace them. SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2024 included provisions specifically addressing AI protections. When AI is used for voice synthesis with proper compensation and consent, many actors support it as a tool for creating additional content. The controversy emerges when AI is used to avoid hiring human talent entirely.
Similarly, concept artists and environment designers worry about studios replacing entire art departments with AI generation tools. While AI can assist with rapid iteration and exploration of ideas, the argument goes that over-reliance on AI leads to homogenized output lacking the distinctive vision that comes from human creativity and cultural perspectives. Games risk becoming technically impressive but artistically sterile.
Where Players Stand
Player opinions remain divided. Some see AI tools as inevitable technological progress that will democratize game creation and enable smaller studios to compete with AAA budgets. Others view AI integration as a race to the bottom that devalues human creativity while training models on copyrighted work without proper compensation to original artists. The Reddit discussion around Zoopunk reflected this split.
Many players expressed relief that TiGames clarified the human-made nature of core content while supporting limited AI use for player customization tools. This middle-ground approach where AI enhances player creativity without replacing developer jobs represents a potential path forward that satisfies both technological progress and ethical concerns.
Release and Platforms
Zoopunk is currently scheduled for release in 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. Publishing is being handled by Tencent Games. The game is still in development and not yet complete, which is why TiGames wanted to share it at this early stage to gather community feedback and collaboratively expand the universe with invested players.
The 2027 target puts Zoopunk roughly three years after the Xbox Partner Preview reveal, suggesting substantial development time remaining. This extended timeline gives TiGames opportunity to refine the AI customization tools while ensuring the human-created core content meets the quality standards set by FIST. Whether the studio sticks with limited AI use for player tools or expands functionality based on reception remains to be seen.
FAQs
Was Zoopunk made with AI?
No, according to developer TiGames. The core game including environments, characters, animations, and gameplay was created entirely by human artists and developers. Generative AI will only be used for player-facing customization tools allowing users to create vehicle skins and clothing modifications.
Why did people think Zoopunk used AI?
Zoopunk was featured in an Nvidia demonstration in January 2025 showcasing ACE autonomous game character technology and Stable Diffusion AI asset generation. The demo showed AI-powered NPC interactions and player-driven customization tools, leading to questions about whether the game itself was AI-generated.
When does Zoopunk release?
Zoopunk is scheduled for release in 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. The game is published by Tencent Games.
What is Zoopunk?
Zoopunk is a third-person action game and prequel to FIST Forged in Shadow Torch. Players control Rayton the Rabbit in a fast-paced combat adventure set decades before FIST during the First Torch War in Torch City, featuring hack-and-slash combat built in Unreal Engine 5.
Who developed Zoopunk?
TiGames, the Chinese studio behind FIST Forged in Shadow Torch, is developing Zoopunk. Their previous game received critical acclaim for its dieselpunk Metroidvania design and technical implementation.
Will Zoopunk have AI NPCs?
The Nvidia demo showcased AI-powered NPC interactions using ACE technology, but TiGames has not confirmed whether this feature will be in the final game. The studio clarified that AI will only be used for player-created customization tools.
Is Zoopunk related to FIST Forged in Shadow Torch?
Yes, Zoopunk is a prequel set decades before the events of FIST, expanding the Animal Punk universe by exploring the origins of Torch City during the First Torch War. Rayton the Rabbit returns as the protagonist.
Conclusion
The Zoopunk AI controversy illustrates the challenges developers face when implementing new technology in an industry increasingly suspicious of generative AI’s impact on creative jobs. TiGames found themselves defending their human artists’ work after their game was used to showcase Nvidia’s cutting-edge AI tools, creating an association they never intended. The studio’s clarification that AI will only power player-facing customization tools rather than core content represents a reasonable middle ground that leverages technology without replacing human creativity. Whether players accept this compromise depends largely on execution and transparency about exactly where AI begins and ends in the final product. For now, Zoopunk remains a promising action game sequel to the well-received FIST Forged in Shadow Torch, featuring stylish combat with an anthropomorphic rabbit protagonist fighting mechanical war machines in a dieselpunk animal metropolis. The 2027 release gives TiGames plenty of time to refine their vision while navigating the increasingly complex ethical landscape of AI in game development. Just don’t expect them to use the game in any more AI demonstration videos.