![\"Party](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SEI_297101906-2821.jpg\")
\n\t\tPictured: the Party Animals community responding to the official X account\u2019s AI announcement (Recreate Games)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tPictured: the Party Animals community responding to the official X account\u2019s AI announcement (Recreate Games)<\/p>\n
Fans of Party Animals are overwhelmingly not on board with the game\u2019s new AI<\/a> video contest, as the game\u2019s user review take a sharp nose dive.<\/p>\n Despite its widespread unpopularity, generative AI continues to worm its way into video games<\/a>, with a lot of big name publishers like Microsoft<\/a> and Capcom<\/a> expressing interest in the technology<\/a>.<\/p>\n Some games have managed to get away with incorporating generative AI, with Arc Raiders openly admitting to using AI voicework<\/a> and still becoming very popular<\/a>. Others not so much, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33<\/a> and Crimson Desert<\/a> removing and apologising for their use of AI artwork they claim was only included by mistake.<\/p>\n Now, it\u2019s multiplayer game Party Animals\u2019 turn to deal with player ire and backlash, with its community turning on it after it announced an AI video contest.<\/p>\n Initially released in 2023 for Xbox<\/a> consoles and PC, with a PlayStation 5<\/a> port dropping last year, Party Animals is a physics-based party game where players take control of cartoon animals and fight to be the last one standing.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a deliberately silly kind of game, with players flopping and falling over the place, and it\u2019s been relatively successful, earning positive reviews and nominations for Best Multiplayer at The Game Awards in 2023<\/a> and the BAFTA Games Awards<\/a> in 2024.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tExpert, exclusive gaming analysis\t\t\t<\/p>\n Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter<\/strong><\/a> for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning.<\/p>\n The point is it had a good reputation; one that\u2019s now in jeopardy thanks to the aforementioned AI video contest. The announcement came yesterday, with Party Animals fans encouraged to submit AI generated videos for a chance to win a share of $75,000 (about \u00a355,500) of cash prizes.<\/p>\n \u2018A short film you\u2019ve been dreaming of making, a story that breaks all the rules, a character tribute to your favourite beast\u2026 In the past, ideas like these could only exist in your head. Now, with AI, they finally have a chance to become reality,\u2019 reads the X post<\/a>.<\/p>\n the fact that you have $75,000 to give away and you\u2019re going to give it to someone who uses gen ai instead of an actual artist is actually mind boggling.<\/p>\n \u2014 Pb\ud83d\udda4\ud83d\udc3b\u200d\u2744\ufe0f\ud83c\udfb9 (@leadpolarbear) May 13, 2026<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The rules state that entries must primarily be made with AI tools, but there\u2019s no mention of submissions needing to only be based on Party Animals.<\/p>\n Amusingly, the rules also say that plagiarism is not tolerated when that\u2019s one of the key issues with AI-generated videos and art \u2013 they\u2019re not making anything original and are stealing from other sources.<\/p>\n Not that any of this matters as the response has been overwhelmingly negative. \u2018Just a hunch here. But you know how all the artists and creative on your team no doubt told you this was a terrible idea. It is. Fire the dumb ass that pushed for this. He might\u2019ve tanked this games reputation,\u2019 reads the top response on X by RubberRoss<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u20182.6 million views, 454 likes, and 2,050 quotes with a probably large chunk bringing attention to your poor choice and either uninstalling your game, cancelling their plans to buy it, or otherwise vote with their wallets. (Like I am. Y\u2019all ain\u2019t getting a single red cent from me.)\u2019 reads another by VTuber Starjumpersix<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2018Congrats, this could have been a proper art contest that got you more good will, attention, and maybe even more revenue, but now you got the opposite,\u2019 says Anura Litho<\/a>.<\/p>\n Even the PartyAnimalsAIVideoContest hashtag<\/a>, which is supposed to be used for video submissions, has barely any activity and most of the X posts are angry reactions and disparaging comments.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tDon’t miss Gaming news! Add us as a Preferred Source\t\t\t<\/p>\n As a loyal GameCentral reader, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for gaming stories. We have all the latest video games news, reviews, previews, and interviews, with a vibrant community of highly engaged readers.<\/p>\n Click the button below and tick\u00a0Metro.co.uk<\/strong>\u00a0to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.<\/p>\n \nAdd us as a Preferred Source<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \t\t This anger has seeped over to the game\u2019s Steam page<\/a>, where you can see it\u2019s become flooded with over 1,000 negative reviews since yesterday, after years of mostly positive feedback.<\/p>\n \u2018Literally cannot believe the stupidity in hosting an AI art contest,\u2019 says Bepis<\/a>, who has over 38 hours of play time on Party Animals.<\/p>\n CowBells<\/a>, who has over 59 hours of play time, doesn\u2019t mention the contest, but it\u2019s obvious what their review is referring to: \u2018You could\u2019ve shut your mouth, cooked, and made as much money as you ever needed. It was perfect. But, no, you just had to blow it up. You and your pride and your ego! You just had to be the man. If you\u2019d done your job, known your place, we\u2019d all be fine right now.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018Their AI video contest announcement is beyond disappointing, destroying a beloved game\u2019s reputation, if they don\u2019t backpedal there is no future for this game,\u2019 writes RukiHyena<\/a>, who has over 104 hours of playtime.<\/p>\n At the time of writing, the Party Animals account has not issued any follow-up comments nor has the game\u2019s developer, Recreate Games, responded to the backlash.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also too soon to tell if player numbers will be seriously impacted by this, but you can assume there\u2019s not going to be any more AI contests after this.<\/p>\n \t\t Email\u00a0gamecentral@metro.co.uk<\/a>, leave a comment below,\u00a0follow us on Twitter<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n To submit Inbox letters and Reader\u2019s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our\u00a0Submit Stuff page here<\/a>.<\/p>\n For more stories like this,\u00a0check our Gaming page<\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow\n
![\"GameCentral](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SEC_278479390-558f.jpg\")
\n\t\tGameCentral has been delivering unique games news and reviews for over a decade<\/p>\n![\"Party](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SEI_297101946-406f.jpg\")
\n\t\tWill fans actually keep their word and drop Party Animals entirely? (Recreate Games)<\/p>\n
\nMORE: GTA 6 pre-order dates leaked by Best Buy as Trailer 3 speculation grows<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: Games Inbox: Are 3D platformers a dead genre?<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: How Mixtape became the biggest video game controversy of 2026<\/a><\/p>\n