Following the recent news that Games Workshop has banned generative AI to position human-made craftsmanship as the ultimate luxury, the rest of the industry is drawing its own lines in the sand.
The move by the Warhammer creator reflects a broader shift in the hobby. For many tabletop publishers, the decision to reject AI isn’t just about protecting intellectual property; it is about preserving the soul of roleplaying games. From the biggest names in the business to the most influential indie labels, here is a look at the companies that have committed to keeping their products human-made.
Geek Native published our AI policy in 2022.
The Major Publishers
- Paizo: The publishers of Pathfinder and Starfinder were amongst the first to take a firm public stand. Their policy prohibits AI-generated writing and artwork in both their official books and their community marketplaces.
- Chaosium: The legendary home of Call of Cthulhu updated its contracts to be crystal clear: work must be the creator’s original creation and must not contain AI-generated art or text.
- Stonemaier Games: Jamey Stegmaier has been vocal about the company’s refusal to use AI to replace or augment creative work, maintaining a strict wall against generative tools for creative assets.
- Wizards of the Coast: Following community pressure, Wizards updated their guidelines to strictly forbid generative AI in the creation of final products and marketing materials.
- Renegade Game Studios: Known for the Power Rangers and G.I. Joe roleplaying games, Renegade maintains a strict policy against AI-generated artwork or writing.
The Indie Guard and RPG Specialists
- Free League Publishing: The Swedish publisher of Tales from the Loop has a formal policy against AI art, citing ethical concerns regarding the livelihoods of professional illustrators.
- Kobold Press: In late 2024, Kobold Press issued a formal “No AI Pledge,” committing to avoiding generative AI for art, text, or game design.
- Magpie Games: The team behind Avatar Legends maintains a dedicated AI Content Policy page, ensuring every product is entirely human-made.
- Monte Cook Games: The creators of Numenera describe algorithmic generation as the “exact opposite of inspiration.”
- Modiphius Entertainment: Their community content programme, World Builders, explicitly forbids the use of AI assets.
- Rowan, Rook and Decard: This independent publisher has updated its community licences to expressly forbid the use of their games for training generative AI tools.
Gatekeepers and Platforms
It isn’t just the publishers making moves; the platforms and awards that define the hobby are also setting standards.
- The ENNIE Awards: One of the most prestigious accolades in the industry has implemented a total ban for its 2025–2026 cycle.
- DriveThruRPG: The largest digital marketplace for roleplaying games has banned all standalone AI art products and AI-generated text.
- Heart of Daggers: This community platform for Daggerheart implements a strict “no AI” policy for all submissions.
Context matters. While the unethical data scraping and labour practices of major AI companies remain a serious concern, we must distinguish between creative replacement and functional support. For those using AI-driven assistive tools or medical tech, these tabletop industry bans represent a creative stance on craftsmanship, not a judgement on the essential technology used to support health and wellbeing.
Who did we forget? If you know of other tabletop companies with AI policies, then let us know in the comments below along with a policy URL.
