The use of generative AI in game development has become an increasingly contentious topic as more and more games use the technology in some way or other. One studio pushing back against this trend, however, is Black Myth: Wukong developer Game Science. The team recently stated that it will not be using AI to develop the sequel to the 2024 action RPG, Black Myth: Zhong Kui, and it's all because of Christopher Nolan.

Taking to the Chinese social media platform Weibo, Black Myth series art director and Game Science co-founder Yan Qi responded to a fan question on whether AI could speed up Black Myth: Zhong Kui's development. "We'll steer clear of AI-generated content during the design and asset phases," Qi said (as translated by a user on ResetEra), "Not out of resistance, but simply to stand our ground until the very end." Qi uses the analogy of not needing to catch the last train to go somewhere, "we can just stay at a small inn for a while... no rush."

To further explain why Game Science does not feel the need to hop on to the latest technology trend, Qi uses filmmaker Christopher Nolan as an example. "At a time when digital filmmaking and 3D post-production seem to have reached a dead end, look at Nolan," Qi wrote, "He's thriving, using even older techniques to shake things up."

Qi previously stated that he was deeply inspired by his experience watching Nolan's latest epic, The Odyssey. It is a good comparison in that Nolan's insistence on using practical effects and shooting on film has made him one of the most renowned directors of our time when much of big-budget cinema revolves around CGI-slop action sequences. Audiences can tell when a piece of art was crafted by human hands, and it pays off.

This isn't the first time the team behind the Black Myth series has come out against AI. In 2024, lead performance director Beth Park said that technology loses the "human, chaotic emotion" of artistic creation. Black Myth: Zhong Kui was first announced in 2025 during Gamescom Opening Night Live. Game Science has not announced a release window for the sequel. There's no rush.