{{use American English|date=December 2024}} {{use mdy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox video game | title = Catly | image = Catly (video game) logo.svg | developer = SuperAuthenti | publisher = | director = | producer = | designer = | programmer = | artist = | writer = | composer = | engine = Unreal Engine 5 | release = | genre = Platform, adventure | platform = {{ubl|Apple Watch|Nintendo Switch|Windows}} | modes = Single-player, multiplayer }} '''''Catly''''' (stylized as '''''Cátly''''') is an upcoming platform game developed by SuperAuthenti, set to release for Steam, Nintendo Switch and Apple Watch. Following its announcement on The Game Awards 2024 in December, ''Catly'' was subject of criticism over allegations of generative artificial intelligence use for the first trailer and blockchain technologies for the game.
== Gameplay ==
''Catly'' is an adventure game with an open world architecture. It has single-player and multiplayer options. In ''Catly'', players can customize a cat avatar, care for it, and explore environments.<ref name="Colantonio 2024" /> Gameplay also includes farming simulator and island-building elements.<ref name="Nightingale 2024b">{{Cite web |last=Nightingale |first=Ed |date=2024-12-19 |title=''Catly'' developer shares proper gameplay trailer following AI allegations |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/catly-developer-shares-proper-gameplay-trailer-following-ai-allegations |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241219153005/https://www.eurogamer.net/catly-developer-shares-proper-gameplay-trailer-following-ai-allegations |archive-date=2024-12-19 |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=Eurogamer |language=en}}</ref>
== Development ==
''Catly'' is developed by studio SuperAuthenti and was made in Unreal Engine 5.<ref name="Valentine 2024">{{Cite web |last=Valentine |first=Rebekah |date=2024-12-16 |title=''Catly'' creator says game has no generative AI, no blockchain, and no NFTs |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/catly-creator-says-game-has-no-generative-ai-no-blockchain-and-no-nfts |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217103902/https://www.ign.com/articles/catly-creator-says-game-has-no-generative-ai-no-blockchain-and-no-nfts |archive-date=2024-12-17 |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref> The game was unveiled with a teaser trailer on December 12, 2024 during The Game Awards 2024 presentations. SuperAuthenti announced the release for PC (via Steam), Nintendo Switch and Apple Watch.<ref name="Colantonio 2024">{{Cite web |last=Colantonio |first=Giovanni |date=2024-12-12 |title=''Catly'' promises a photorealistic cat game, but its tech is a mystery |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/catly-announcement-game-awards-2024/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217195640/https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/catly-announcement-game-awards-2024/ |archive-date=2024-12-17 |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=Digital Trends |language=en}}</ref> A trailer showcasing gameplay was launched on ''Catly''{{'s}} Steam page on December 19.<ref name="Nightingale 2024b" />
=== Allegations of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology use ===
Following the game's announcement, assertions circulated that the game or the trailer were created through generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology.<ref name="Colantonio 2024" /><ref name="Valentine 2024" /> The rumours pointed at the trailer's hyperrealistic style, to the apparent presence of AI artifacts in the promotional material,<ref name="Valentine 2024" /> and to the removal of images from the game's website.<ref name="Valentine 2024" /><ref name="Nightingale 2024a">{{Cite web |last=Nightingale |first=Ed |date=2024-12-17 |title=''Catly'' developer denies using generative AI or blockchain technology in its open-world cat game |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/catly-developer-denies-using-generative-ai-or-blockchain-technology-in-its-open-world-cat-game |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241218124341/https://www.eurogamer.net/catly-developer-denies-using-generative-ai-or-blockchain-technology-in-its-open-world-cat-game |archive-date=2024-12-18 |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=Eurogamer |language=en}}</ref> An aspect commented upon was the vagueness in the game's Steam description, which read "A Cat Open World, with Beautiful Cats. Hyperrealism, Actions, Cuddle, Speed, Islands, Fashion, Dreams, Snow, Robots, Plants -- all with and via Cats."<ref name="Valentine 2024" /><ref name="Chalk 2024">{{Cite web |last=Chalk |first=Andy |date=2024-12-18 |title=The weird cat game announced at The Game Awards is not made with AI, developers say, and has 'zero blockchain technology' or NFTs |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-weird-cat-game-announced-at-the-game-awards-is-not-made-with-ai-developers-say-and-has-zero-blockchain-technology-or-nfts/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241218234621/https://www.pcgamer.com/games/the-weird-cat-game-announced-at-the-game-awards-is-not-made-with-ai-developers-say-and-has-zero-blockchain-technology-or-nfts/ |archive-date=2024-12-18 |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref> The description was since changed.<ref name="Chalk 2024" />
SuperAuthenti stated that they did not use generative AI technology for the trailer or game, and that they believed AI tools at the time could not produce a trailer "like that."<ref name="Valentine 2024" /><ref name="Nightingale 2024a" /><ref name="Blake 2024">{{Cite web |last=Blake |first=Vikki |date=2024-12-17 |title=''Catly'' dev "surprised" at AI speculation - "we don't think there are AI tools that could produce that" |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/catly-dev-surprised-at-ai-speculation-we-dont-think-there-are-ai-tools-that-could-produce-that |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241218120059/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/catly-dev-surprised-at-ai-speculation-we-dont-think-there-are-ai-tools-that-could-produce-that |archive-date=2024-12-18 |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}}</ref> ''IGN'' and ''Game Developer'' were shown in-progress material for the game's trailer; both outlets appeared to confirm a lack of generative AI use for the trailer.<ref name="Nightingale 2024a" /> Online personalities Pokimane, Ninja and Felicia Day promoted the game on Twitter; Pokimane retracted her tweet upon discovery of the allegations.<ref name="Chalk 2024" />
Rumors alleging ''Catly''{{'s}} use of blockchain technologies surfaced upon investigations of previous activities by SuperAuthenti co-founder Kevin Yeung. Yeung had reportedly worked on two blockchain-based games under the studio TenthPlanet, as stated in a 2022 ''VentureBeat'' article, before co-founding SuperAuthenti.<ref name="Nightingale 2024a" /><ref name="Chalk 2024" /><ref name="Francis 2024">{{Cite web |last=Francis |first=Bryant |date=2024-12-16 |title=''Catly'' developer denies it's using generative AI or blockchain technology in its cute cat game |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/art/catly-developer-denies-it-s-using-generative-ai-or-blockchain-technology-in-its-cute-cat-game |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217154111/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/art/catly-developer-denies-it-s-using-generative-ai-or-blockchain-technology-in-its-cute-cat-game |archive-date=2024-12-17 |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=Game Developer |language=en}}</ref> Another point that was emphasized was that ''Catly''{{'s}} Steam listing featured a testimonial quote from ''League of Legends'' and ''Arcane'' producer Thomas Vu, a Web3 investor.<ref name="Valentine 2024" /><ref name="Francis 2024" /> The SuperAuthenti team said they would not involve blockchain technologies or non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in the game.<ref name="Nightingale 2024a" /><ref name="Blake 2024" /><ref name="Francis 2024" />
== References == {{reflist}}
<!-- == External links ==
* {{Official website|https://www.playcatly.com/}} --> Category:Unreal Engine 5 games Category:Upcoming video games Category:Open-world video games Category:Nintendo Switch games Category:Video games about cats