Neverness to Everness Rocked by AI Art Claims
Hotta Studio has not confirmed using AI tools for Neverness to Everness, but evidence from December 2024 suggests promotional assets contain warped architecture and uneven reflections typical of machine generation. The studio behind Tower of Fantasy faces accusations that marketing materials for their urban open-world RPG borrow too heavily from Makoto Shinkai’s Weathering with You while showing technical flaws human artists rarely create. Neverness to Everness is planned for PC, PlayStation 5, and mobile devices, mixing gacha mechanics with supernatural city exploration.
What You Need to Know
- Developer: Hotta Studio (creators of Tower of Fantasy)
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, iOS, Android
- Genre: Urban open-world ARPG with gacha elements
- Issue: AI generated game assets claims surfaced in December 2024
- Specific Problem: Visual assets closely resemble scenes from Makoto Shinkai’s 2019 film Weathering with You
The Weathering with You Connection
Fans spotted troubling likeness between Neverness to Everness promotional images and the award-winning anime film Weathering with You. The city backgrounds in NTE marketing materials mirror the cloud shapes, light angles, and color schemes found in Shinkai’s 2019 movie. However, sharp-eyed critics noticed building errors that human artists rarely make. Structure perspectives don’t line up properly. Window reflections show impossible light sources. These flaws appear consistently in images created by generative AI tools like Midjourney or Stable Diffusion.
“This looks like someone typed ‘anime city with dramatic clouds’ into an AI generator,” one artist posted on Twitter. The community quickly compared NTE’s visuals side-by-side with Shinkai’s film frames, highlighting nearly identical composition choices that go beyond simple inspiration.
Hotta Studio’s Defense and Community Split
Hotta Studio built its reputation on Tower of Fantasy, a sci-fi RPG known for crisp, hand-crafted character designs. This history makes the current accusations particularly sharp. The studio released a brief statement claiming all art undergoes “standard development processes,” but avoided direct answers about specific tools used during creation.
Players remain divided. Some fans argue the likeness represents honest homage to Shinkai’s style, which influenced modern anime aesthetics heavily. Others feel betrayed, especially since NTE markets itself heavily on visual appeal and artistic merit. For a gacha game where players spend real money on character designs, realness matters deeply.
The situation highlights growing tension in the industry. Other recent titles like League of Legends and Magic: The Gathering faced similar AI art scrutiny in 2024. When studios cut corners using automated tools, players question where else the budget shrank.
Technical Signs of AI Generated Game Assets
Art experts point to specific markers indicating machine involvement. AI systems often struggle with coherent physics when rendering complex city environments. In the NTE images, street lamps bend at odd angles. Brick patterns repeat unnaturally. Most telling, the air perspective differs between foreground and background elements as if two separate image sources merged poorly.
These technical flaws distinguish AI generated game assets from traditional digital paintings. Professional anime background artists maintain consistent vanishing points and light sources throughout scenes. The NTE promotional materials lack this internal consistency, suggesting rapid generation rather than careful craft.
How This Stacks Against Competing Urban RPGs
This scandal arrives at a critical moment for Hotta Studio. The developer competes against established urban RPGs like Zenless Zone Zero and Genshin Impact, games praised for distinct artistic direction. Both HoYoverse titles employ large teams of background painters who post work-in-progress shots and process videos regularly. This transparency creates trust that NTE currently lacks.
If potential players trust the visuals less, Neverness to Everness loses its primary selling point. The situation also raises questions about disclosure. As of January 2025, the game lacks any label indicating AI involvement in asset creation. This stands in contrast to some indie developers who openly advertise using AI tools for specific textures or background elements.
Moving forward, Hotta Studio must rebuild trust through honesty. Showcasing sketch work, artist portfolios, or live drawing streams could prove human hands touched these assets. Without such proof, the cloud of suspicion threatens to overshadow the actual gameplay experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Neverness to Everness use AI for its artwork?
Hotta Studio has not confirmed using AI tools for Neverness to Everness. However, community analysis from December 2024 points to warped architecture and uneven lighting in promotional images that match typical AI generation errors.
What game did Hotta Studio make before Neverness to Everness?
Hotta Studio previously developed Tower of Fantasy, a sci-fi open-world RPG released in 2022. That game earned praise for its character designs but faced separate criticism for monetization practices.
When does Neverness to Everness release?
Hotta Studio has not announced an official release date for Neverness to Everness. The game is expected to launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and mobile platforms based on current marketing materials.
How does this compare to other games accused of using AI art?
Similar to League of Legends and Magic: The Gathering in 2024, Neverness to Everness faces scrutiny over promotional assets that appear artificially generated. These cases show increasing player demand for honesty about creative tools.
What platforms will Neverness to Everness be available on?
Neverness to Everness is confirmed for PC, PlayStation 5, iOS, and Android. The game will support cross-platform play between mobile and console versions according to early press releases.
Stay tuned to GameHaunt for updates on Neverness to Everness as Hotta Studio addresses these AI art claims and moves closer to launch.
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