While the industry is still embroiled in a heated debate over the role of generative AI, a handful of indie publishers have decided to simply shut the door on the tech. It is a preemptive strike, aiming to dodge the messy legal and ethical minefields surrounding creator rights and copyright disputes.

Kinetic Games, the studio behind Phasmophobia, recently unveiled its own publishing arm, 'Kinetic Publishing.' They are promising the moon to indie developers—offering funding, legal support, and marketing muscle. However, they have drawn a hard line in the sand: games relying on blockchain, Web3, or generative AI need not apply.

They are joined in this crusade by indie publisher Hooded Horse. CEO Tim Bender didn't mince words in a recent interview, confirming that they have baked anti-AI clauses directly into their contracts. He’s quite critical of the hype, arguing that while some claim AI boosts efficiency, it often just adds unnecessary complexity to the workload.

Bender insists this isn't just a clever bit of PR, but a moral stand. He is wary of AI-generated assets slipping in through third-party contractors, demanding that developers commit to immediate revisions if any are found. Even with the technical hurdles of detection, he believes trust is the cornerstone of an AI-free ecosystem.

Players and developers have long been vocal about their distaste for generative AI in games, but this marks a turning point where publishers are actually putting teeth into the rules. We will be watching closely to see if this sets a new industry standard for how AI is—or isn't—allowed to play a part.