With all the controversy surrounding Bungie’s Marathon, which still doesn’t have a release date after its last delay, it’s surprising that it took this long for the gorgeous cinematic short to be affected. Directed by Alberto Mielgo of Love, Death, and Robots fame, it was easily the highlight of the extraction shooter’s reveal. Now, however, it’s facing accusations of using generative AI.
Mielgo responded to this on Instagram, “I can’t believe we’ve reached a point where I have to clarify this, but here it goes: this is not AI. HELLO. Everything you see in this film: paintings, animations, 2D and 3D work, compositing, and renders is done with a huge team — 155 incredible people and hell of hours, days, months… Yes, our Achilles’ heel: time.”
As for this opinion on the technology, Mielgo said he, honestly, has “no idea.” “But one thing is certain: AI will never take away my (your) urge or joy for making art and painting. That part will never be replaced.”
Such accusations emerge in the wake of more gaming companies embracing the technology. The latest is Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, which recently faced criticism from US Congressman Ro Khanna. “Artists at these companies need to have a say in how AI is deployed. They should share in the profits. And there should be a tax on mass displacement.”
While Marathon itself doesn’t seem to employ AI-generated content, it was roundly criticized for stealing assets from an independent artist (which Bungie blamed on an ex-employee). There will apparently be a release date update sometime this Fall, but as far as its parent company, Sony, is concerned, it should launch by March 31st, 2026.
