This is a petition against NetEase's latest acts of firing their employees connected with AI usage in the game Identity V.

 

In recent weeks on Chinese side of posts on social media, the OP stated that, starting on April 1st and ending by May 1st, NetEase was going to fire 50% - 60% of their employees (all of whom are programmers, artists, illustrators and testers) to cut costs by replacing them with AI. This very post was later deleted.

 

There has already been content that hinted on earlier use of AI along with fully generated advertisements and suspicion lying on the trailer of COA IX as well.

 

Identity V is going to start using AI tools in July 2026.

 

It's been a game that was fully created by dedicated, skilled and talented people and a place where that work of theirs could be expressed and shared freely with us, the players.

 

NetEase's employees are people who deserve more respect; furthermore, it is dishonoring to have their existing work used by AI.

 

People speaking up about this issue are being silenced. It is not correct and it needs to be spoken about.

 

For us, for their employees, let's stand up for the very place that brought us together in the first place.

 

We demand that:

1) NetEase stops using Artificial Intelligence in Identity V for excessive coding and making game-related art,

2) NetEase stops firing employees for the very purpose of using AI,

3) NetEase offers job back to the employees that have already been fired,

4) any promotional material made with help of AI (such as costume posters - Ivory Tower: Lucky Guy B-tier & Seer B-tier) is to be remade by human hand.

 

Unless these criteria are carried out, we refuse to support an AI-run game.