You Can Play As An Otter In Sandbox Crafting Game Hawthorn From Ex-Bethesda Devs (Update)

[Update: The developer has let me know, and the Steam page has been updated to clarify that the 2D art created by generative AI is currently intended as a placeholder and will be replaced over time by human-made art. The Steam statement is now:

“Hawthorn will not ship with AI-generated content. However, 2D AI imagery, after being significantly edited by humans, is used for placeholder 2D art and iconography in the pre-alpha development version of the game. This placeholder art may be seen in various pre-release demos. However, AI-based art will be replaced before Hawthorn is available for purchase.”

Our original story follows.]

Do you have room in your heart for another sandbox crafting game? Maybe consider Hawthorn, which is being showcased as the first game by Near Studios, a group founded mostly by ex-Bethesda devs, including Bruce Nesmith, the lead designer of Skyrim.

I mean, personally, I’ve played enough survival crafting games to last me a lifetime, but Hawthorn strikes me as something special. It’s a whimsical take on the genre featuring woodland creatures. In it, you work with either co-op partners or NPCs to build a village. A significant portion of the trailer is dedicated to setting up a feast, and as anyone who dove into the Redwall series will tell you: feasts are important to woodland creatures.

Otherwise, there are also more exciting activities, such as flying across the countryside, exploration, and while it wasn’t shown in the trailer, combat will also be involved. Specifically, the press release says you can take the peaceful route or just devote yourself to violence. I’m not sure I could do that to mice and owls, but maybe some of them are extremely punchable jerks. It’s possible. There’s also an emphasis on weather, and while heavy rain is the only challenging one shown in the trailer, it’s promised that all four seasons will be represented, with snow being mentioned.

More importantly, though, you can play as an otter. I only bring this up because my husband absolutely loves otters, and this will be a great way to convince him to play something with me. Personally, I’m more of a bunny person, and rabbits are not shown in the trailer. However, with the right peer pressure, anything is possible.

If there’s one downer in the announcement, it’s that the store page states, “2D AI imagery, after being significantly edited by humans, has been used as the basis for some 2D art and iconography in the game.” As a writer who loves the craft, my immediate reaction is intense revulsion. But to be fair, its use is stated up front (that’s a rule on Steam, but it’s up to the dev to choose to follow it), and it’s alongside obviously human-made art. I just hate to see it in any circumstance.

No release window or platforms (aside from PC) have been announced for Hawthorn.