“Art is as human as it gets. No AI”: Head of Publisher Raw Fury Pulls No Punches With Two Incredible Points to Going Indie

AI has no part to play in Raw Fury’s game development process!

raw fury

SUMMARY

  • Jónas Björgvin Antonsson, founder of Raw Fury, held an impromptu AMA on X.
  • One of the questions asked was how to get into the indie gaming sector and what Jónas believes makes a good pitch.
  • The founder stated that AI should not replace real human art, as that is very evident, and that indie developers should not make money their primary motivation.
Show More
Featured Video

Raw Fury games are widely liked for their compelling narratives, interesting game mechanics, and personable characters (even the animals). But one of the most alluring aspects of the studio’s titles is its signature art style, which sets it apart from much of the competition within the same space.

Advertisement

Art in a game can be the defining characteristic of a studio, but Raw Fury doesn’t seem to subscribe to that notion. Most of the team’s titles have a unique art style that is distinct from its siblings, and the reason behind this, as stated by the founder, is the human element of art.

Raw Fury Founder States AI Can’t Replicate Human Creativity

×

Artificial intelligence has been a hot topic for a while, and the fervor isn’t going to die until the innovations stop hitting the market. AI may be making some jobs easier, but it’s not the most accepted tool out there. Well, the creator of indie games studio Raw Fury, Jónas Björgvin Antonsson, has something to say about that in his recent AMA on X.

Advertisement

AMAs like these are a great way for budding game developers to learn from the advice of veterans in the field. When someone asked for advice on how someone can go indie in their spare time and also what Jónas himself finds appealing, the founder’s answer was focused on keeping the experience authentic.

AI can make some tasks easier, but this comes at the risk of making the result appear artificial and hollow. Even AAA developers such as Bethesda have used procedural generation in Starfield, and this has led many players to criticize the locations in the game. Jónas has very explicitly stated that not only can AI not replace real art, it also can’t fool those who truly appreciate art and the effort put into a project.

The second point Jónas brings up is that anyone trying to get into the indie space should be doing it because they have a story to share. Doing it for the money may not be the best motivator in an industry where even teaming up with major subscription services doesn’t guarantee success for the developer.

Advertisement

Indie Games Now Compete with Even AAA Classic Titles

The character from Raw Fury's Sable riding atop their hover bike with jet trails emanating from its thruster.
Raw Fury takes pride in creating a unique look for its titles| Credits: Raw Fury

At a time, indie games might not have been taken seriously due to the large gap in refinement between them and AAA titles. That gap has since been drastically reduced, in large part due to advancing technology and knowledge, and the playing field is far more level.

Even Raw Fury’s upcoming horror project Post Trauma has been pitted against the likes of the Silent Hill 2 remake! There is also a conscious shift in the gaming sector towards titles that reflect effort and attention to detail. It can be seen in the wave of criticism against studios such as Ubisoft.

This are constantly accused of releasing formulaic games that offer no innovation or ingenuity. With the right platforms, indie games have a chance to surpass even their AAA competitors.

Advertisement

But, to ensure this, the developers can’t have an AAA mindset of wanting to rack in sales and should be more in line with Jónas’ thought process to experience success.

What are your thoughts on the indie gaming scene? Let us know in the comments below!

Sagar Nerala

Written by Sagar Nerala

Articles Published: 447

Gaming was one of my earliest passions then along came writing, and here we are. I've been in the content creation space for several years now and as gamer for even longer. From understanding the complexities of a multilayer narrative to the simply joy of "big gun go boom", my goal is to capture all the emotions in between and put them down in an engaging manner.