Dwarf Fortress Creator Tarn Adams Is Set Against Using GenAI

Tarn Adams, the creator of Dwarf Fortress, has strong opinions about generative AI in gaming. He’s made it clear that not much will change his mind, as reported by Rock Paper Shotgun. The Bay 12 Games developer is among a growing group of industry figures pushing back against this technology.

According to Rock Paper Shotgun, Adams is “as tired of genAI in the industry as anyone else.” The article emphasizes that he’s firmly committed to never using it himself. We haven’t independently verified the full interview, so this article focuses on what the report conveys.

This stance comes amid a wave of backlash against AI. The same RPS article points to another recent incident: Jagex retracted a RuneScape trailer and apologized after players complained about a knight with six fingers. Adams’ viewpoint contrasts with that of a developer who has nearly 20 years of experience with his flagship project.

Dwarf Fortress is a perfect backdrop for this debate. Bay 12 Games first launched it on August 8, 2006. The game’s reputation is built on procedural generation that creates stories from rules crafted by the developers. It boasts a Metacritic score of 93, with 94% of its 26,019 Steam reviews being positive.

This strong track record gives Adams’ opinions considerable weight among the game’s fans. Currently, the game is published by Kitfox Games and is priced at $29.99 on Steam. The material we reviewed doesn’t clarify whether the publisher shares his views.

By The Numbers

By The Numbers

Original release date	August 8, 2006
Metacritic score	93
Steam reviews	94% positive (26,019 reviews)
Steam price	$29.99
Current Steam players	696

Community Pulse

Our sentiment tracker picked up 10 community signals, and most of them were negative. This contrasts with the game’s impressive 94% positive Steam rating. The excerpts we have are limited. One highlighted Steam review starts off positively: “There is an absolutely amazing dwarven simulation game hidden in Dwarf Fortress. A game of incredible depth, endless possibilities, and stories that practically write themselves.” However, the subsequent criticism is cut off, and none of the visible text mentions AI, so we can’t connect this sentiment to Adams’ comments.

What To Watch

• Further comments from Adams: The RPS report presents his stance as unwavering. Keep an eye out for how this affects Bay 12’s tools and workflow.
• Kitfox Games’ position: The publisher hasn’t been mentioned in the material we reviewed. A statement would clarify if their stance aligns with the developer’s.
• Industry backlash cases: The Jagex trailer apology illustrates how quickly complaints about AI can prompt action. More studios might face similar scrutiny.