Independent developer Grolaf, also known as Crunchfest, claims to have created the “world’s first” fully AI-generated video game with Codex Mortis, a Vampire Survivors-like bullet hell title where every element—from art and code to music—is “100 percent AI-driven.” The three-month project, now in a free demo on Steam, was built without a traditional game engine, using AI assistants to “vibe-code” the entire experience, igniting fierce debate about the future of game development.
The process, as detailed by the developer, was unorthodox from the ground up. Grolaf told PC Gamer that the project began as a prototype to test feasibility, using ChatGPT for artwork and Claude Code (mostly Opus 4.1 and 4.5) to write the shaders and code. The game runs on pure TypeScript, using PIXI.js for rendering and bitECS for the entity-component-system backend, all wrapped as a desktop app with Electron. “The whole thing was vibe-coded,” the developer stated, comparing the AI-assisted workflow to “giving an exoskeleton to a construction worker” because it was “way less mentally draining” than traditional development.
Maintaining consistency was a key hurdle. Grolaf explained that while getting character animations to work properly proved difficult—leading to a shader-based “wobbling” effect—regular GPT managed to remember and replicate a preferred visual style across different sessions. The game’s integration with Steam via Electron also presented challenges not found in standard engines like Unity or Unreal. The result is a functional, necromantic-themed game where players “mix five schools of dark magic” and “raise undead armies.”
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However, the game’s purely AI-generated pedigree has become its most controversial feature. The Steam discussion forums for Codex Mortis are flooded with threads expressing hostility, with titles like “Garbage AI slop,” “Dangerous slippery slope,” and admonitions to “don’t buy and don’t support this.” The free demo currently holds a ‘Mixed’ rating, with one sarcastic reviewer noting it’s “worth the price.” The backlash highlights a significant rift in the gaming community regarding the role of AI in creative fields, with only a single forum thread questioning, “Why everyone is butthurt about IA in game development?”
The debate extends beyond Steam. On the r/aigamedev subreddit, reactions were reportedly more measured but still mixed, with several critical comments being deleted. The project forces a conversation about authenticity, labor, and the definition of authorship in game creation. Is Codex Mortis a pioneering experiment in a new development paradigm, or does it represent an existential threat to traditional artist and programmer roles? Grolaf’s experiment sits squarely at the center of this tension.
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This discourse emerges alongside news of traditional development excellence being celebrated. In a contrasting narrative, ShiftUp CEO Hyung-tae Kim recently received a Presidential Commendation—one of South Korea’s most prestigious awards—for his contributions to the country’s game industry through titles like the critically and commercially successful Stellar Blade and the billion-dollar revenue-generating mobile game Goddess of Victory: Nikke. This juxtaposition is stark: one developer is celebrated for human-led craftsmanship breaking sales records, while another pioneers a controversial, AI-dependent process that many players reject.
Whether Codex Mortis is a gimmick or a genuine glimpse into a contentious future remains to be seen. Its very existence, and the vitriolic response it has provoked, underscores that the gaming industry’s battle over AI integration is no longer theoretical—it’s playable, debatable, and now sitting in a Steam library near you.
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