Owlcat Games, the studio known for titles like Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is also the studio behind the upcoming sci-fi action RPG, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn. The game was showcased today during the Xbox Partner Preview (and confirmed for a Spring 2027 launch window), and ahead of that, we got a look at the full cast of companions you'll meet in the game.
A report from Eurogamer, however, has revealed another aspect of the game: its development process. When asked whether the studio uses any Generative AI (GenAI) tools, the studio confirmed that it does, but clarified that it does not use them for anything intended to make its way into the final version of the game.
"We don't use it to create any assets that will be in the game," answered public relations manager Katharina Popp. "We use it a lot for prototyping, trying things out, placeholders. They will all be replaced at the end."
"We use it basically for trying out things on a technical level. For example, looking how a 2D image looks in 3D, or changing colours to what looks good. So it's basically for being able to iterate faster. But we don't use it to write, we don't use AI voice actors, so everything that will be in the final version will definitely 100% be human-made."
It's worth noting that at the time of this writing, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn does not have a GenAI disclosure on its Steam page, though hopefully the studio will add one now that it has clarified how it uses those tools. It's nice that Owlcat may not intend to have any AI-generated assets in the final game, but the disclosure is to tell players that GenAI tools were used, whether or not those assets are in the final game they buy.
Also, if we do spot GenAI assets in The Expanse on release, Owlcat wouldn't be the first developer who never 'intended' for those assets to make it into the final game, only to be found by players almost right away. The most recent example was Crimson Desert, which resulted in developer Pearl Abyss claiming that the assets players found were not intended for the final game, that they were placeholders, and were used by developers in "early-stage iteration."
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
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