AI and Art Meet in a New Card Battler
In a world where AI talk often stirs up debate, Studio Atelico aims to shift the conversation with its first game, Bobium Brawlers.CEO and co-founder Piero Molino spoke out against the growing pushback from gamers. He says the anger isn’t about the tech itself but about low-quality, mass-made content that crowds the market and drains work from human artists. Molino shared these thoughts during a presentation about the turn-based card and dice creature battler. He stressed that the studio will follow an ethical path. That means paying human artists to build the training data and offering them ongoing royalties for any game assets born from their art styles.
Creative Power, Backed by Generative Tech
Bobium Brawlers uses a custom AI engine to unlock features that many games can only dream of with old tools. The core hook lets players craft their own creatures for decks simply by typing a description. The AI then produces both artwork and stats in minutes, making each run feel personal. To keep visuals strong and coherent, a team of human artists helps shape the game’s look and supervises non-creature art. This plan aims to keep the art feeling human and distinct, while letting the generative tech add flavor and speed rather than replace craft.
Balancing AI Innovation with Human Craft
The studio is clear about its goal: use AI to augment creativity, not erase it. By pairing machine outputs with human direction, Bobium Brawlers avoids a flat, generic look that some early AI art can produce. The human touch keeps the game’s identity intact while the AI handles quick visuals and data. Players get a fresh, personalized experience that still feels crafted by a real team.
Privacy, Speed, and On-Device Focus
A standout part of Bobium Brawlers is its emphasis on on-device AI work. Running the AI engine locally on a player's device reduces lag, protects privacy, and lowers costs for the developer. The approach leans on fairly new hardware, specifically iPhone 13 models and newer that include a capable Neural Engine. For now, some AI tasks will run in the cloud, but the plan is to shift toward a fully on-device setup in time. By driving AI generation costs toward near zero, the team hopes to show that generative tech can be a sustainable benefit for mobile gaming.
Ethics at the Core of the Project
Molino and his team stress ethics-driven fair pay for artists. They provide ongoing royalties for any in-game assets that draw from a contributor’s art style. The model aims to stop the use of low-cost, uncredited data and instead build a system where creators benefit over time. This stance is meant to defend artist rights while still letting players enjoy fast, vivid content created in moments.
A Vision for the Mobile Card Arena
With Bobium Brawlers, Studio Atelico is betting on a future where AI tools help speed up creation without draining the human touch. The game’s mix of text prompts, rapid artwork, and evolving stats could reshape how players build decks and explore battles. The team’s careful balance—humans guiding the look and AI handling rapid generation—seeks to deliver a lively, high-contrast world that stays visually grounded.
What This Means for Players and Artists
For players, the game promises quick personalization. You can shape your deck’s creatures with simple prompts and see them come to life in minutes. For artists, the model offers a clear path to contribute and earn royalties over time. This setup invites a healthier relationship between tech and talent, where both sides gain from collaboration rather than clash. It’s a choice that aims to push mobile games forward while honoring the people who craft the art at its core.
Looking Ahead for Bobium Brawlers
The studio’s roadmap centers on maintaining a strong visual identity. They will keep refining how AI and humans work together to preserve quality. The team plans to expand on the deck-building idea and the creature battles, while staying true to ethical standards. If successful, Bobium Brawlers could become a model for thoughtful AI use in games rather than a mere showcase of speed.
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