AI Re-revisited: Gray Ooze and the Enshittification of the Tabletop

AI Re-revisited: Gray Ooze and the Enshittification of the Tabletop

From No Plot, Only Lore by Josh Varty and Kristoffer Hansen

February 13, 2026 · 37 min · Season 1 · Episode 82

About this episode

Josh and Kris discuss the impact of generative AI on tabletop RPGs and the challenges it poses to collaborative storytelling.

In this episode of No Plot, Only Lore , Josh and Kris dive deep into the "gray ooze" currently flooding the internet: Generative AI . What started as a potential tool for busy DMs has quickly spiraled into a self-fulfilling loop of mediocrity that threatens the very heart of collaborative storytelling. The guys pull no punches as they discuss: The "Enshittification" of RPGs: Why AI-generated content is mathematically designed to be average, and how it’s paving over the weird, human foibles that make TTRPGs great. AI Hallucinations: From making up database columns at work to "hallucinating" dead family members, the guys share their most bizarre (and slightly terrifying) AI encounters. The Dehumanization of Art: A passionate defense of "human-made" content—even if it's just a banana taped to a wall. Industry Fallout: From the Wizards of the Coast art controversies to the rise of AI-written lore videos and "35-minute novels," they examine how the tabletop community is fighting back against the machine.

People in this episode

Hosts: Josh Varty, Kristoffer Hansen

Topics covered

  • Generative AI
  • Tabletop RPGs
  • Collaborative storytelling
  • AI-generated content
  • Dehumanization of art
  • Industry controversies

Keywords

  • AI
  • gray ooze
  • Enshittification
  • TTRPGs
  • art controversies
  • human-made content
  • AI hallucinations

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Wizards of the Coast

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