Biddy Blas Shows the Human Touch in Star Wars: Galactic Racer
IGN opinion writer Mat Jones argues that Biddy Blas, a supporting character in Star Wars: Galactic Racer, shows why memorable game performances depend on human…
Biddy Blas has become a fan favorite in Star Wars: Galactic Racer, giving a small supporting character an outsized role in debate over AI and creative work. IGN opinion writer Mat Jones argues that the character’s appeal comes from human decisions that an algorithm may not reproduce.
Blas is a short, crocodile-like alien with an angry demeanor and a distinctive voice. Jones describes him as a standout in the game, saying his character grew from a combination of writing, performance and comic timing.
The argument reaches beyond one fictional racer. Jones places the character in a wider discussion about the future of game development, as studios face pressure around production costs and the use of AI tools.
In the IGN opinion piece, Jones describes the games industry as increasingly unstable for professional creatives. He points to studio closures linked to brand restructuring, rising electronic component prices, energy supply concerns and efforts to end physical ownership. He says those pressures make it difficult to picture the medium’s future, regardless of AI’s role.
Jones is not dismissing games or the people who make them. He says games continue to exist because of the passion of those involved and describes Star Wars: Galactic Racer as a highlight for the arcade-style high-speed racing genre. The game, he writes, includes vehicle customization, heat management and opponent rivalry systems.
That praise informs his contrast with Epic Games’ reported push toward an “AI first” production model. Jones says the shift has reportedly delayed a secret Star Wars and Marvel crossover shooter, which is apparently set to use AI tools for coding and art. He cautions that he cannot assess a game that has not been shown outside Epic’s offices.
His central point is narrower: AI may generate a voice or a line, but that does not automatically create a memorable character. Blas speaks in Huttese, and Jones argues that the phrase “Scrib Doon” became distinctive because the writers chose it and performer Richard Summers-Calvert delivered it with comic force.
Jones draws on comments from Will de Renzy-Martin, lead actor in The Blood of Dawnwalker, who spoke on an episode of My Perfect Console. De Renzy-Martin said, “the least interesting thing about what I do is the way my voice sounds.” He argued that acting also involves personality, choices and interaction with a director or producer.
“[AI]’s not replicating my personality and the things that I do when I'm in the room, and the choices that I make, which is all the reasons that a director or a producer would want to work with me,” de Renzy-Martin said. He added that an AI system capable of producing the right sounds would still need someone to shape the performance attached to them.
That distinction matters for game audiences because a character’s appeal can hinge on more than design or dialogue. Blas’s look, voice and delivery work together; Jones argues that copying one element would not necessarily recreate the performance that made players respond to him.
The IGN piece calls Blas an example of what Star Wars fans have dubbed a “Glub Shitto”: a minor character whose limited screen time can still make them a favorite. Jones acknowledges that no one can prove what AI could never create, but his case rests on the specific human choices behind the character.
For Jones, the defining moment is not just a strange phrase. It is the decision to write “Scrib Doon” and Summers-Calvert’s delivery of it.
Source: ign.com
