Todd Howard shares opinions on generative AI in game development — and it might not be the take you expected from Bethesda

For those living under a rock, Todd Howard is the director and executive producer at Bethesda. He has worked on many of the studio’s biggest games and has long been the public face of the company.

With Fallout Season 2 on the horizon, Todd has been doing a wider press tour. As part of that, he recently sat down with Eurogamer to discuss generative AI and even named his 2025 Game of the Year.

This gave us a clearer look at how he views a controversial tool and which game impressed him the most this year.

What Todd Howard says about generative AI

Fortunately for those who dislike generative AI, Todd Howard doesn’t praise it to the heavens or pretend it is unavoidable. Instead, he frames it as a tool that can support development rather than replace human art, saying, "I view it as a tool. I think creative intention comes from human artists."

This seems to reflect how the wider industry may approach AI, using it to speed up groundwork rather than generate finished assets. Todd expands on this idea and says:

He then draws a comparison to older creative software, pointing out that tools evolve, but artists remain central to the process. As he puts it, “If you go back 10 years ago, like that version of Photoshop, you wouldn't want to go back to that version of Photoshop.”

This leads to his broader point about why human direction still matters at Bethesda. Todd stresses that the studio’s identity comes from the people behind the work, saying, "We want to protect the artistry because that's the human intention of it. This is what makes our stuff special."

Todd Howard names his 2025 Game of the Year

Talking more with Eurogamer, Todd Howard is asked about his favorite game of 2025. He first mentions Clair Obscure Expedition 33, Death Stranding 2, and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2.

When pressed to choose one, he highlights Expedition 33 above the rest and says, “Expedition 33 is really unique and amazing.” He follows this by adding, “I think Expedition 33 is really unique piece of art in so many ways.”

It seems Expedition 33 has picked up yet another award, though this one is unofficial; coming from Todd Howard himself, it is arguably a meaningful one.

Do you agree with Todd? Let me know.

PC Key (Steam)

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: was $55.39 now $28.99 at loaded.com

"Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a ground-breaking turn-based RPG with unique real-time mechanics, making battles more immersive and addictive than ever."

View Deal

Follow Windows Central on Google News to keep our latest news, insights, and features at the top of your feeds!