by 
The Finals has been my all-time favourite online multiplayer game ever since the open beta back in 2023 and has continued to deliver time and time again, giving me countless hours of joy that I can say with full confidence I wouldn't have gotten anywhere else – but I can only praise this game so much until the cracks start to show, and with Season 12 being released to some mixed opinions, they are most definitely starting to show.
Embark has kept no secrets about its AI use in the past (both in The Finals and Arc Raiders), with the announcers Scotty and June both being synthesised voices trained on (consenting) voice actors' performances – as well as millions of other voices used to train the AI model that didn't offer their express consent, of course. As much as this irks me, I was just about able to accept it.
The recent introduction of 'Dynamic Commentary' means the AI can now say individual contestants' names in each match, and it seems that Embark isn't content to stop there; the company is becoming increasingly aggressive when it comes to AI use in its games, and looking back, maybe it was happening under our noses for quite a while.
I have suspected Embark has been using AI in assets for a long time, but this season has confirmed it. Season 12 launched with a new rewards wheel, which is great, but this wheel also featured a very suspicious tattoo for your contestant.
As is so often the case, Redditors ran it through AI checkers, and I am sad to say the general consensus is that the "minor possession" tattoo is definitely AI-generated. Here is the tattoo in all its glory, alongside an image from u/FlorpCorp on Reddit. (And when you take a look at it, you won't need an AI checker to tell you, but I threw it in for good measure.)
This isn't an isolated issue, however, and as I said before, I have had suspicions about virtually all the old battle pass stickers and many of the backgrounds and skins, too many, in fact, to list.
This is a huge slap in the face not only to the game's loyal, steadfast player base, but also to Embark's own design team, who evidently put so much effort into other cosmetics that have been unanimously praised for their quality and price.
As a long-time player, I hope I speak for everyone when I say we will not miss the AI stickers and cosmetics if they were gone; we, as players, don't care that much about more stickers, tattoos, and backgrounds, especially ones made by AI. Is this the 'thin end of the wedge' when it comes to GenAI making its way into the game more dramatically? You could argue the AI commentators were the 'thin end', and this is just the next step.
This whole issue is all-around disappointing and, more importantly, completely avoidable. With Season 12 and the hype it got, it is honestly a huge letdown for me. I truly hope Embark sees the backlash this causes and changes its approach to producing content for the battle passes and the store in general, and that, going forward, it takes more care out of respect for its players and its talented design team.
"We notice this stuff," says Reddit user blookiet. "Genuinely, I would ask everyone to make their voices heard with their wallets. Withhold their money en masse until we see these unethical practices stop. The issues are deeper than just lazy cosmetics--the support team, $50 skin, etc.--but I'd say it's one fight at a time. And this is the worst the cosmetics have ever been. I've tried to introduce some friends to the game just for them to nope out the instant they see this shit. It's time to start looking for a way to make them change. Backlash is the only way."
The sad thing is, this could mean people don't play and enjoy Season 12; that might be the message Embark needs to put a stop to further GenAI encroachments in what is otherwise a fantastic online shooter.