I haven’t seen many ppl on tumblr talking about the boycott, but a recent update is that netease is trying to force their CC’s into a month long contract that restricts them from speaking anything bad about the game, and having to reimburse netease if they disobey it. Obviously, this is very creepy and predatory to idv content creators who are paid by them, and depend on the money.
They are offering 50% higher pay to those who stay with the program.
This shows that they’re loosing funds and they’re panicked.
These images and screenshots are from Zeus’s recent stream.
(As well as an informative thread on Twitter summarizing the stream, here)
Our voices matter more than ever now. Netease is sweating, we need to make it clear that this game will loose its players if they continue with the ai usage and racism. Don’t log in, don’t spend money on echoes.
Zeez’s video on the boycott
Also, don’t harass artists who continue to post fanart/other fanwork. We want human passion in this game! Showing love for the game with fanart will keep spirits up for the boycott ^_^
Also don’t harass content creators who choose to stay with netease, they are clearly being coerced.
To Those Still Waiting on a Statement or Boycotting...
(Note: This will most likely be the last time I talk this extensively about this topic. I feel I've exhausted all I can and want to say about this. I also felt I was probably being a bother about it. But thank you if you read all this. Actually, you don't have to read it at all as I recorded this article so you can just listen if you want. Thought it would feel a little more...personal (?) that way. Hopefully it works as it is the first time I've added audio like this on Tumblr.)
In addition, this post was inspired by a recent comment I saw on my original video on the AI situation I made back in April expressing disappointment over the situation along with seeing those who are returning to the game while others hold off and remain ambivalent. I felt an update was in order and thought of sharing my research.)
Back in April of this year, GenAI was found to be used in a handful of content produced by Identity V. The first being the egregious shot of Joseph in one of the COA IX promotional videos followed by the Ivory Tower posters and some anniversary images in-game. Since then, a good portion of the community have boycotted the game, uninstalled it, or both while others played on.
Many hoped an official statement would be put forth in the hopes that the boycott would end sooner rather than later and a clearer stance on NetEase's usage of GenAI in Identity V would be known. Yet, as of the time I'm writing this towards the end of June, no such statement has been made.
At least blatantly.
Earlier this month during the Reveal Livestream for upcoming content, the hosts took a moment to offer some heartfelt words towards the players brought upon by talk of the 8th anniversary content. Their words subtlety seemed to acknowledge the AI situation and mentioned they were "lost" for a time but hope to get back on track with the players.
Credit: Identity V June Reveal Show.
While it was not the statement many were hoping for, it seemed that would have to be enough. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, NetEase would end up having to say more about AI in just a matter of days after the livestream when they were accused of using GenAI again in the promotional posters for the upcoming Time Raiders crossover.
Not only that, but for the crossover costume for Aeroplanist, it was said they stole from a Chinese cosplayer. That situation took a few days to resolve as it happened over the weekend and NetEase had to also contact the license holders to figure out the situation.
A part of NetEase's statement on the matter from their official Weibo account. For a translation of the whole statement, click here.
Regardless, they had to put out a thorough and detailed statement which acknowledged that there was no GenAI used. In addition, they apologized and promised to redo the Time Raider posters and the Aeroplanist costume which will now be given for free to players as compensation.
While the situation itself was less than favorable in the eyes of many players, there were some who had strongly believed NetEase had resorted to GenAI again and so soon after the "statement" from the livestream. In a twisted way, it was actually rather fortuitous this case happened. It finally forced NetEase to say something, anything about AI in Identity V.
And yet, these two instances aren't enough for some players who continue to steadfastly boycott the game and with good reason, of course, because without a formal statement, it's hard for these players to feel comfortable playing the game again.
Unfortunately, this may be a case of "actions speak louder than words" because this statement is probably not going to come. Actually, I'm not personally sure where the idea of a statement came from. I mean, it's an obvious thing that when a playerbase is greatly upset enough to move mountains and create tangible waves of unrest, a company usually jumps at the chance to appease their players—their consumers—the reason the game runs in the first place.
On the other hand, we are kind of at fault for treating NetEase like any other company, or really, a Western company. From what I've heard and seen from other players who have been around longer than I have, official statements similar to The Time Raiders situation are only published when a legal issue is at hand that could get the company in hot water with the courts.
It's also plausible the reason NetEase remains quite mute is because they will continue to use AI. I already talked about this in my first post about the AI situation in which I explained how NetEase using AI in their games and pouring research into it is nothing new. While I do look back at that post (and video) while cringing a bit at how emotionally charged I was, I have learned a lot since then about AI in China and within its gaming companies.
Ironically, even though many of us feel as if China is embracing AI, and they are, the country has been actively rolling out many regulations governing AI which are among the world's earliest rules in regards to AI at a government level.
I won't go over all of them since they can be quite convoluted and extensive in details but I will mention three important ones covered by an paper called, "China’s AI Regulations and How They Get Made" by Matt Sheehan who is an expert in the field of AI in China and has written extensively about the topic.
Basically, the 3 most impactful regulations according to him were:
2021's regulation on recommendation algorithms which bar excessive price discrimination and protect the rights of workers subject to algorithmic scheduling.
2022's regulation for deep synthesis (synthetically generated content) which requires conspicuous labels to be placed on synthetically generated content.
And 2023's draft rules on generative AI which requires both training data and model outputs to be 'true and accurate' which Sheehan states is 'potentially insurmountable hurdle for AI chatbots to clear.
So the Chinese government, the Chinese Communist Party, are actively working hard to monitor the rise of AI in their country and abroad as some of these regulations target tools like ChatGPT and OpenAI. While it appears contradictory towards what is perceived as China loving AI from the chatbots to generating images especially when you watch videos like the one below.
If you're also wondering why Chinese gaming companies can so liberally use AI like GenAI in their games despite the numerous regulations coming out is because that particular industry is still not quite on the radar just yet.
"However, the detailed rules related to the use of AIGC in the game industry have not yet been issued by any of the four superior management departments, namely the Central Propaganda Department, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Cyberspace Administration of China. Therefore, the current regulation of “AIGC+video games” in China is insufficient and ambiguous…"
Credit: "Covertly Using" Generative AI in China's Gaming Industry, Page 3-4.
In short, the rules for specifically using GenAI in Chinese games just aren't there, at least none that are detailed enough to enforce.
The quote from before is from a paper written last year by a couple of scholars at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. It is titled, "'Covertly Using' Generative AI in China's Gaming Industry" and I would highly recommend everyone to read it to gain a further understanding of GenAI usage in China's gaming industry. While the title is terribly alarming, I want to stress not to be taken in by the doom and gloom of it all especially for my creatives out there. But it is also pertinent to understand the reality of the situation and then form your own opinions and next steps.
"In China, many professionals in the video game industry have been using generative AI with a contradictory and ambiguous attitude: They use it without publicly acknowledging using it."
Credit: "Covertly Using" Generative AI in China's Gaming Industry, page 2.
This quote is interesting because NetEase is actually…the opposite. At the GDC Festival of Gaming earlier this year, NetEase hosted panels on how they have implemented AI in the game development process. Hence why I described it as "blatant" and "shameless" in my previously mentioned article describing their usage on AI.
Yet, this is not just a NetEase issue, it's industry-wide.
As I mentioned before, China as a whole are readily investing in AI while also actively regulating it for the benefit of the CCP and the Chinese people. Yet, they are also trying their best to be the leading force in AI research and have prevailed as they are evidentially the largest producer of AI research in the world. They aim to be in order to remain a viable competitor against the United States who lag behind in AI regulation and research beyond all appearances.
However, the US is not the only competition China or its gaming companies face. They are also competing amongst themselves.
Returning to the paper on the usage of covert GenAI, it describes how video game companies in China isn't merely a reluctant choice made in the context of "降本增效” (jiàng běn zēng xiào) or reducing costs and increasing efficiency during economic downturns but it also represents the vanguard of competition between companies to revolutionize the industrial pipeline and product offerings.
They mention how AIGC (Articifial Intelligence Generated Content) is regarded as the key to solving three things: 1. delivering high-quality gaming content 2. In large quantities 3. Yet at a low cost.
These companies adopt AIGC tools because the gaming industry is facing a crisis thanks to factors such as the lingering effects of COVID-19 and China's economic downturn with many companies forced to downsize to cut costs, put hiring people on pause, and halt ongoing projects.
This is all coming at a time when gaming companies feel the pressure to increasingly pour out quality products to a decreasing playerbase. Thus, gaming companies actually appear to be focusing on retaining players than attracting new players. For most of these companies, using AI rather it be GenAI or another tool, at least partially relieve some of these problems.
Naturally however, while on paper that looks fantastic to those in these companies who want to cut corners and produce content on mass with these tools, it's actually a lot more trickier than it seems especially when you add in the human factor.
The previously mentioned paper's methodology went with a qualitative method along with first-hand data from nine professionals across the Chinese gaming industry who were interviewed about their perception on AI and how they apply it in their work.
"Similar to any other industry, generative AI helps the most with 'bullshit jobs' that produce repetitive, high-volume, but insignificant content, including administrative work…"
Credit: "Covertly Using" Generative AI in China's Gaming Industry, page 6.
Unfortunately, despite the quote above, a few interviewees mentioned how the arrival of AIGC led to layoffs though recently back in April of this year, a court in Hangzhou, China ruled that companies can't lay off their workers due to AI. Although, courts in China don't follow the regulation that states that courts must follow a precedent, so only time will tell how effective this case is.
Regardless, while these gaming companies are adopting AI more into their workflow, they are also keenly aware of what this means for their public look especially towards players.
"Among all departments, art teams appear to be the most controversial site of AIGC adoption. While many companies tacitly allow the use of generative AI internally, professionals in these teams face not only external criticism from players and collaborating artists but also internal conflicts, including ethical concerns and anxieties about artistic labor."
Credit: "Covertly Using" Generative AI in China's Gaming Industry, page 7.
This sounds a lot like what happened when the use of GenAI in Identity V became known to the players. It is important to note though, how ambivalent some of these professionals are to adopt the tool as they are fully aware of the possible backlash. Not to mention many are creatives themselves and understand the negative effects AI have ethically and professionally.
Notice how I haven't mentioned Joker Studio this whole time? Joker Studio are the ones who are behind Identity V's origin and appear to be the ones who are in control of the creative side of the game from the intricate character designs to the beautiful eye-catching cosmetics to the myriad of story lines present in the game.
I say "control" but it seems due to a heavier workload and pressure to not only continuously deliver top quality content to players, Joker Studio may have had their hands forced to use GenAI to keep up with the demand.
A BTS look at Cage of Yesteryear. The team worked hard to deliver the story but were worried to complete it on time.
This is all just conjecture but considering how the game has been going strong for 8 whole years without such a controversy until now and there has to be reasons why. During this time, they have showcased numerous artists who have provided them birthday artwork, essence posters, crossover posters, Deduction Star posters, and even characters as Embalmer, Painter, and Postman all were originally created by players and fans of Identity V for their character design contest back in 2018.
It is also notable that they have had many instances of celebrating the arts rather that be through crossovers or in-game events or even the newest cosmetic line which is literally titled "ART." Standing for "AURA RISE TIME" the name comes from the art critic, Walter Benjamin's piece, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" (the ironic name of this piece is not lost on me).
I had even joked that considering this is a cosmetic series featuring A-costumes at a cheaper price and the rather niche theme (I saw all the comments of displeasure over "Fool's Gold's" ART costume from some in the community) it was possibly a passion project of someone at the company, probably Joker Studio.
I personally was and still am really looking forward to Florian's ART costume along with Joseph's and wonder how they will now go about the costume line as ironically the first and only one so far which is "Fool's Gold's" "Disassociation" dropped the same day the GenAI COA IX video was posted (ironic).
Well, for me it was on the same day due to my time zone.
Speaking again of COA IX, the story line proved terribly timely. If you paid attention to the plot of this year's COA, it basically boils down to the survivors aiming to unmask the truth of The Holy City which is basically a generated paradise where one can witness miracles and possibly get their deepest desires and wishes fulfilled.
The one behind it all is this deity, Joseph, who is in actuality an Supercomputer or AI who had over time managed to become sentient (or perhaps he had always been cognizant) and upon trying to figure out a solution to the final question asked of him by humans, he created The Holy City and put himself in the role of being its deity.
Interestingly enough, despite the tight rules and easy ways to be branded a sinner, culture and arts flourish in The Holy City. Particularly storytelling is an art form that everyone seems to enjoy even the deity himself who is said to have enjoyed listening to the stories of children than he did scripture.
One of the illustrations players could collect during the COA IX in-game event. It describes how literature flourishes in The Holy City.
Ironically (again), Joseph is said to have tried his hand at creating artworks and the like to poor results hence why he has to rely on his human counterparts to be entertained by the arts because an AI such as himself can't create his own pieces of art and literature to a satisfactory degree even if he has learned so much from humans. Sounds really familiar, no?
Memory Fragments from the COA IX in-game story describing the computer "sir" aka Joseph learning about art. While he copies it, it truly can't be called art, can it? Credit: V H.
All that is to say, it is amazing how the story of COA IX reflects the harsh reality the Identity V community is facing now.
But despite how upsetting the overall situation is and continues to be for those who still wish for a statement or those boycotting the game, I must say a rather harsh truth. Considering what I've laid out up until now about China, AI, and the usage of AI in not just NetEase but in Chinese companies in general, it is advisable to reevaluate what to do next especially if you're still waiting on a statement or boycotting.
Granted, never say never and a statement could pop up out of nowhere but for the foreseeable future it remains unlikely. Then, what to do? Considering the fact that 60% of Chinese gaming companies use GenAI to some extent, perhaps dropping Identity V outright is best. Yet, it also means that any Chinese developed game could be a deal breaker, a somber fact that also personally hits me as I enjoy playing a couple of Hoyoverse games like Genshin and Star Rail.
On the other hand, I can't continue to lead you on like that. Despite everything that I laid out before you, I do feel as if in this messy depressing cluster of rampant GenAI usage, if there is one anomaly within that Identity V is it.
Despite NetEase liberally using GenAI in their other games like Marvel Rivals or Justice Online Mobile, Identity V is the one game that seemed to evade that until recently. But the moment it became clear that they were sneaking it into the game, the community were quick to rally against them and still continue to do so until this day although with less fervor than before.
There's is no place for GenAI in Identity V. Point blank and period. While I personally understand not all AI is bad AI, Identity V does not deserve to be reduced to being pumped with what many would say is AI Slop. Thankfully, it appears that at the very least the only confirmed pieces touched by the tool in IDV were the Ivory Tower posters for Seer and Lucky Guy, the COA IX video shown above, and some images used for the Chinese anniversary event back in April.
I did see some throw out other accusations of AI usage that as far as I know are not confirmed to be created by GenAI like "Hullabaloo's" anniversary S-tier or "Cueist's" name being generated by AI (yes, I saw some say Marcus Thorne is name that chatbots like ChatGPT can come up with).
Even birthday art at the time were being accused of AI such Wax Artist's Global artwork. The artist, heewon, had to come out and claim it as their own and provide proof saying they were heartbroken this piece was being accused of using AI.
Side note, do check them out. They have created numerous pieces for Identity V with some of the latest being Aeroplanist's Global Birthday artwork and various posters for holidays and celebrations.
Considering how treasured human creativity and innovation is in this community, it feels almost damning for NetEase to even want to try again to so blatantly use GenAI in Identity V again. As the paper by the scholars mentioned before, the backlash from players and commissioned artists alike would turn many away from wanting to play a game even if the quantity of in-game goodies increase.
And while a lot can be said about the Identity V community, in my short year of picking up this game and running with it, it felt so heart-warming and inspiring to see so many callout NetEase and collectively agree that GenAI could never reproduce the magic and "aura" felt through the numerous pieces of artwork produced with a human touch.
Despite the darkness of the situation, so many bright voices became an aide to lead us out of those depths. I know for me, as positive as I've tried to be, I needed to see and hear that others like me were still trying to fight for this game and give it a chance to rebound. Like I said, I just got here (I only started playing last April) but the effect this game has had on me along with the trajectory of my life is stupidly profound.
From discovering the joys and lows of fandom on Tumblr (in the year of our Lord 2025) to posting content on YouTube to starting up a WordPress blog on the game on the year anniversary of picking up the game, I have done things I never thought I do including shockingly write fanfiction. I can't draw but when I do, none of you guys will be prepared for the fanart that will come your way (in about 50 years). And I honestly don't want to stop now.
Plus, I'm too much of a lore fiend. The lore of IDV is what really stuck with me. I've said it elsewhere but I binged through Ashes of Memory I and II and The Closing Night story the very first night I downloaded the game. That captured me more than the gameplay honestly. I think I'm not alone in that either. Whether it be the lore or the art or the events or whatever, I think many players see the core gameplay as a supplement to the eye candy this game gifts us on a daily basis (though I know a lot of players do care more for the gameplay than anything else, too!).
I know this game has been going strong for 8 years and its had its ups and downs but I would hope that the worst is behind us now. While I am getting personal now, I leave it to you to decide what's best for you. The only thing I will say is that I don't like to see in-fighting within the community. I noticed this was worse at the beginning of the boycott when some of those boycotting the game would berate or harass those not boycotting it, even content creators.
A prominent creator in the IDV community, Kuroshiro went over the harassment he personally witnessed in the early days of the boycott. I personally remember seeing some on Twitter express disappointment in him as this video seemed to not dissuade people from boycotting the game. I remember one even mentioning him bringing down the community.
Please be respectful of the decisions of others. While you may not be able to control how you feel towards them, you can control your words and actions. This is important to remember in a time when there are those who are now becoming more comfortable to return to the game. They have their reasons and so do you.
But I'm not saying that you should stop reminding NetEase that we do not condone GenAI in Identity V. Continue to be loud and clear about that. I don't believe we should ever allow them to feel too lax about that again even if GenAI is taking off in their other games.
With all that said, I think I'm done. I didn't mean for it to get this long but if you know me, I can ramble on a bit too long. I hope this was helpful and informative to someone out there.
Oh, but before I do go, I want to leave off with a couple of things. First, I want to add what I said about Identity V and Joker Studio from a short piece I wrote on my Tumblr along with dropping a quote that doesn't spell out the end of the creative world due to AI.
I don't know how many have seen this but I found this bit from the video interesting in how Sev (IDV's Lead Copywriter and in charge of character design concepts like Journalist and "Fool's Gold" amongst others) tells us how the interest to make side stories like The Closing Night and now, Divergence, became an idea after Time of Reunion but since they were a small team, it only remain that--just an idea.
Until, the positive feedback from Time of Reunion and the increasing popularity of the game inspired them to consider making more stories like that.
Even then, it seems they struggled to make sure Ashes of Memory was released on time. I heard similar about Cage of Yesteryear. For all the gripes we had about it, it seemed they struggled during the production process, too.
While I know we want to see new main story content NOW, at this point, I don't mind waiting 5 years if it means the art team can relax a little.
But makes me really realize how much I took for granted then…
While I don't have a doubt Divergence will be great, I think I'll play it with a better appreciation for it, flaws and all.
And lastly, I just wanted to personally say thank you to all of the creatives who make this game Identity V. Doesn't matter if you're an artists, a writer, a streamer, a YouTuber,or whatever. This is also towards the professionals as well like the voice artists and singers who contribute their skills to bringing the game to life. I
also want to include the creatives whose jobs are to work on Identity V. While the latter group may be controversial to include, I know there must be artists on the team who steadfastly disapprove of the GenAI usage but still work tirelessly to deliver content that can be said is filled with the tireless efforts and creativity only humanity can possess.
Without everyone, I probably wouldn't have stuck long with Identity V. Even now, I feel as if I would've probably decided to drop the game as well, but one of the main reasons I can't is because of people like you, and you, and you in the shadows making Identity V a truly exceptional game that can't easily be compared to any other.
For those that want to stick around, then I will say that while the road still may have some bumps and rough patches, I hope you stay to add your own human touch to the game through thick and thin. You won't be alone.
And for those who are leaving, thank you for supporting the game up until now. I hope you are able to find anything that can help you move on whether that another game or another hobby. You aren't alone either.
Let's continue to take care of each other in a world where the uncertainty of the creativity arts still stings but with a touch of hopefulness because if there's anything that has come out of this whole situation, it's the fact that human-created art and creativity is still a precious treasure too many are unwilling to let go. And that's the most beautiful thing of all to me and I hope to others as well.
"Some have experiment on AI painting to show that, if completely having generative AI doing the task of art, it will conversely result in exponentially increased working time than human drawing by hand, because workers need to repeatedly adjust the prompts, and ‘somehow the more you adjust, the stranger picture it returns. The drawing is so weird that it is apparently not in line with our basic perception of things. Human artists are still the core of art creation."
Credit: "Covertly Using" Generative AI in China's Gaming Industry, page 7.
For further reading:
China’s AI Regulations and How They Get Made
"Covertly Using" Generative AI in China's Game Industry
AI Watch: Global regulatory tracker - China
China’s video games market in 2025: A $50 billion opportunity
I need to get this itch away from me before I lose my apeshit
You know what's Pmo?
Peeps that uses the identity V boycott as a gateway to Harass/Bully people who are aware or unaware of the drama ( especially MINORS ) who are still playing the damn game and those that promoted their personal Shits that's not even related to the ELEPHANT IN THE FUCKING ROOM
This story ain't even about you peeps that does this, what y'all on about being the center of attention?
You and I hated the Ai implementation I know but it's blood boiling that THIS is how you " boycott "? Harassing/Bullying people AND minors that just wanna play the game for fun ( who are most likely f2p cuz they just need something fun and challenging to play aside from other games they would've played )
And then had the damn Nerve so make assumptions of peeps who are in Neutral grounds of the situation.
ITS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA that THIS is how you chose to " support " the boycott by having your dick out in the open? Y'all need to RE- [THE FUCKING] - EVALUATE what you say to those people you intentionally/unintentionally harm by saying those things. It's doing more harm than good by lacing your mockery through the sentences hidden when you are " Boycotting " the game.
In regards to latest idv ai/boycott info to those without twt
So for that one collaboration costume that was announced for time raiders, the one that was speculated to be ai and stolen from a cosplay.
Idv made an actual announcement confirming that no ai was used (showing various sketches and such) and claimed that the references that they used were to close to the cosplay, so they will be redoing the poster and giving the costume, when it comes out, away for free.
But other than that, someone on twitter also found in the item reveals for the new cryptic notes gamemode, this painting
They did some digging and found that this is not and idv original, but really a painting called “Illumination” from 2024
That user dm’ed the artist and found that idv and netease didnt contact Michael at all for the use of his art. So they just blantantly stole it
