Medieval Sandbox RPG, Chronicles, to Arrive in 2026: Former Promise of AI Integration Cancelled, Developer Assures 'Entirely Handcrafted' Gameplay
Revamped Read:
Get ready, game enthusiasts! I recently stumbled upon a fresh studio during the recent Summer Game Fest, called Raw Power Games, which is cooking up a "monumental medieval sandbox" that went by the name of Chronicles: Medieval. Guess what? We caught a glimpse of this bad boy at Geoff Keighley's showcase, and boy oh boy, does it look neat!
Fair warning: Trailers don't always reflect the final product, but with that vibrant, gameplay-filled scene (a breath of fresh air amid the trademark dark ages gloom) at the end, it's certainly caught my attention.
I took a peek into Raw Power earlier this week and stumbled upon a 2022 interview with two of the studio heads, where they flaunted AI-generated concept art and seemed pretty thrilled about using this tech for gaming. Can you believe it? Times change, my friends!
Raw Power's CTO, Caspar Strandbygaard, spilled the beans to PC Gamer this fine morning, stating that Chronicles: Medieval is "pure human craftsmanship, with no AI-touched assets." Strandbygaard went on to explain that the studio might fancy new technology, but their focus for Chronicles: Medieval is on handcrafted experiences, with every asset designed by their skilled team of developers. No AI tricks here, folks!
However, Raw Power's AI tools division is still testing out AI tools—just not for Chronicles: Medieval. That division will be used for optimizing performance and enhancing testing, according to Strandbygaard. "As tech-savvy workers, we embrace AI where it smoothens the process," he said.
Now, this comes as a stark contrast to Strandbygaard's 2022 statements, where he mentioned the studio's long-term goal being to become so reliant on AI that their jobs would involve building tools to generate the game, rather than developing the game itself. Hmm... Times they are a-changin'.
Keep a close eye on Chronicles: Medieval, as it's expected to drop on Steam in early access in 2026.
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FYI: Raw Power Games, architects of Chronicles: Medieval, have shifted their stance on AI in game development. The studio, driven by human creativity, has opted for a handcrafted approach for Chronicles: Medieval, ensuring a personalized and immersive gaming experience produced by their dedicated team of developers [1][2].
- Despite their ambition to rely heavily on AI for game development in the future, Raw Power Games has chosen to keep Chronicles: Medieval free from AI-generated assets, focusing instead on a handcrafted approach for a more personal experience.
- In a reversal of their initial plans, Raw Power Games has decided to use AI technology for optimizing performance and enhancing testing, rather than generating game assets, as seen in Chronicles: Medieval.
- As the anticipated release of Chronicles: Medieval on Steam in early access in 2026 approaches, it remains to be seen whether Raw Power Games will fully embrace AI in their future game development or continue to uphold the handcrafted approach they have chosen for this critically acclaimed medieval sandbox game.
