Throughout the past decade, we’ve seen the gaming industry grow increasingly concerned with optimization and the fruitless endeavor of chasing perfection. Including Larian, Pearl Abyss, and Sandfall Interactive, studios big and small seem to be relying more often on generative AI to create placeholder art for their titles–even if “getting caught” often leads to negative PR. It’s for precisely this reason that Slay the Spire 2’s “shit” placeholder art holds a special place in my heart. Upon its release in…