House House Addresses Generative AI Use in Big Walk Following IGF Juror Boycott
Australian developer House House has clarified its use of large language models during the production of Big Walk after a group of 2027 Independent Games Festival jurors announced they would decline to vote for any titles utilizing generative AI. According to GamesIndustry.biz, the studio estimated that less than 0.1% of the game code involved AI assistance.
Context from Industry Pulse
The disclosure comes during a period of transition and shifting expectations within the industry. While major publishers like Take-Two and Krafton focus on high-stakes releases and revenue growth, the indie sector is grappling with the ethical implications of emerging tools. According to GamesIndustry.biz, the IGF jurors are pushing for a total rejection of generative AI, reflecting a growing divide between technical utility and creative purity. This tension is particularly visible as platforms like Steam maintain flexible disclosure rules, leaving individual studios to navigate public sentiment. House House’s decision to reveal their process highlights how even minor technical shortcuts can become significant points of contention in the current development landscape.
The controversy surfaced after jurors for the 2027 Independent Games Festival noted a rise in submissions involving generative tools. This group stated they would not support any project using the technology in any capacity and called for a permanent ban on such work. In response, House House issued a statement to Aftermath detailing the specific technical hurdles that led them to consult a chatbot during the final stages of development for Big Walk.
According to GamesIndustry.biz, the studio encountered a significant performance issue related to shadow rendering within Unity. The bug caused the game to slow by 50% during specific in-game times. Despite consulting with Unity engineers and reviewing internal code, the team could not find a solution. They eventually turned to a large language model, which suggested a fix that the developers modified and implemented. The resulting change consisted of approximately 10 lines of code.
House House stressed that generative tools were not used in any other part of the game production. As GamesIndustry.biz reports, the studio apologized for potentially failing to meet the standards of those attempting to limit the impact of AI on the industry. The developer admitted that the lack of an internal policy regarding AI usage was a failure on their part and committed to establishing a comprehensive framework for future projects.
The studio also explained why this information was missing from the Big Walk Steam page. As GamesIndustry.biz notes, the platform does not currently mandate disclosures regarding the use of chatbots or code assistance. However, the studio felt it was necessary to address the matter publicly given the heightened interest from the indie development community and the IGF judging process. Results for the festival are expected in early 2027.
The Industry Pulse Bottom Line
House House’s transparency illustrates the increasing pressure on developers to justify technical shortcuts as creative communities harden their stance against generative AI, even when used solely for minor bug fixes.