Neverness to Everness (NTE) launched on April 29, 2026, and within days, a sponsorship controversy overshadowed its debut. Popular VTuber Ironmouse publicly cancelled her sponsored partnership with the game after claiming that developer Hotta Studio had directly assured her team that no generative AI appeared anywhere in NTE, only for multiple suspected examples to surface almost immediately after her stream. The fallout pulled in other creators and voice actors, and on May 7, 2026, Hotta Studio finally broke its silence with an official statement.
What Did Ironmouse Say About NTE Sponsorship?
During a livestream on May 3, 2026, Ironmouse addressed the situation directly and left no room for ambiguity.
“Whenever I get sent an offer for a sponsor or something, I always make sure that I tell people, ‘Can you make sure, double, triple, quadruple-check that this does not have AI in it. I will not accept it if it does,’” she said. “And then, they assured me, ‘no, don’t worry, you’re good, it’s fine.’ And then I find out it’s not fine.”
She went on to describe what she called a direct lie from the developer’s side. “They told my sponsor people, ‘we do not have AI in anything, there’s no AI anywhere.’ And it’s like, why are you lying? What do you think? I don’t have eyes?!”
Ironmouse confirmed she deleted the game, calling it the “fastest uninstall” of her life. Notably, her contract with Hotta Studio included a specific clause against generative AI use, which strengthens her position significantly. She made clear she had no intention of continuing the partnership regardless of any contractual obligations on her end.
What Suspected AI Content Did Players Find?
The controversy did not begin with Ironmouse. Players started flagging suspected generative AI content in Neverness to Everness almost immediately after launch. The examples that circulated online ranged from subtle to highly visible.
Key suspected examples players identified:
- An animated video during one of the game’s opening missions showing signs consistent with AI generation, including inconsistent details, shifting objects, and erratic character features
- An approximately 18-minute suspected generative AI anime short film located inside the in-game theatre
- A billboard inside the game world that appeared to closely mirror imagery from Makoto Shinkai’s anime film Weathering with You, though some fans debated whether this was deliberate homage or AI-generated plagiarism
- Various signs and billboards throughout the city that players described as looking visibly inconsistent with the rest of the game’s art style
Hotta Studio Officially Responds
On May 7, 2026, the official NTE Global account posted a statement on X, breaking the developer’s silence for the first time since the controversy began:
“Dear Appraisers, Thank you for the feedback. It matters to us. Neverness to Everness is built on human creativity. The characters, stories, and world you experience are the work of artists, writers, and designers. AI-assisted tools were used only on a small number of background and environmental assets, not on the characters or stories that define this game. We’re already reviewing and reworking the flagged assets: ‘Clear Skies in Summer’ and ‘Pink Paws Heist’. Your feedback shapes this game, so please keep it coming. We’re listening, and we’re committed to delivering the quality you deserve.”
The statement confirms two specific assets are under review. However, the developer stopped short of a direct apology to Ironmouse or an acknowledgment of the claim that her team was actively misled. Some players online noted that the game’s corresponding hotfix listed the changes only as “language optimization” rather than openly addressing the AI asset removal, which drew further criticism from parts of the community.
What Had Hotta Studio Said About AI Previously?
Hotta Studio, the developer behind NTE and also known for Tower of Fantasy, had addressed AI use before the controversy fully escalated. In a prior developer interview, the studio stated that “our core assets and character portraits will never touch AI.” The studio acknowledged using AI tools during early experimentation phases for “atmosphere renderings” and preliminary visual reference work during development.
However, the line between what qualifies as a core asset and what does not has become the central point of criticism. Many players and creators argue that the flagged examples, particularly the in-game theatre short film and opening mission footage, go well beyond background experimentation material. It is also worth noting that this is not the first time Hotta Studio has faced AI-related criticism, which adds further context to the community’s frustration.
At the time of writing, Hotta Studio and publisher Perfect World have issued no official public statement addressing the allegations or Ironmouse’s account of events directly.
Who Else Has Spoken Out?
Ironmouse is not the only prominent figure to distance herself from NTE following the controversy. Here is a breakdown of who has responded and what they said:
| Name | Platform / Role | Action Taken |
| Ironmouse | VTuber, Twitch | Cancelled sponsorship, deleted the game |
| Shylily | VTuber | Stopped playthrough mid-stream to “look into” the AI claims before continuing any promotion |
| Meggie-Elise | Anime voice actor (credited in NTE) | Posted on X stating she does not support generative AI and will drop the project if it is not addressed and removed |
Meggie-Elise’s statement carried particular weight given that she is a credited voice actor on the game itself. “I want to be clear that I do not support generative AI in any creative field, including voiceover, art, writing, or music,” she wrote. “If this is not addressed and removed, I will not be continuing work with this team.”
How Has the Community Reacted to the Response?
Community reaction to Hotta Studio’s statement has been mixed. A portion of players welcomed the acknowledgement and the commitment to rework the flagged assets, viewing it as a sign that community feedback carries real weight. However, others criticised the response for not going far enough.
Several players pointed out that the hotfix description used vague language rather than directly stating that AI assets were being removed. Others felt the statement did not address the core allegation that the studio misled creators like Ironmouse by explicitly denying any AI use before the game launched.
A section of the community has also pushed back against the controversy altogether, arguing that the backlash is disproportionate and that AI tools used on background assets do not undermine the game’s overall quality.
What Does This Controversy Mean for Gaming Industry?
The timing makes this situation especially significant. Neverness to Everness launched less than two weeks before the sponsorship fallout became fully public, and the game was already building a player base through its generous gacha pull rates and detailed open world. The AI controversy has not erased that positive reception entirely, but it has introduced a serious layer of distrust at exactly the moment the game needed to build momentum.
The broader issue extends well beyond one sponsorship deal. The gaming community has watched AI-related controversies grow across the industry throughout 2025 and 2026, and NTE now sits as one of the most prominent recent examples of what happens when developers either fail to disclose AI use or actively deny it to partners. Creators with large, engaged audiences, particularly those in the anime and VTuber space, hold significant influence over the exact demographic that gacha titles depend on most. Losing the trust of that audience’s most trusted voices is a particularly costly move for any live-service game at launch.
What Happens Next?
As of May 7, 2026, Hotta Studio has confirmed it is reviewing and reworking the two flagged assets, but has not issued a direct apology or addressed Ironmouse’s specific account of being misled. The situation continues to develop.Many players who genuinely enjoy the core gameplay have expressed disappointment rather than outright rejection, suggesting the damage is not irreparable. However, whether the studio follows through on its commitment to rework the flagged content, and whether it addresses the transparency concerns more directly, will determine how the broader community views NTE’s development team going forward.
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