Will AI Revolutionize Or Ruin The Gaming Industry?

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Bawal Zehri

At HI Digital I test and write about different hardware configurations to show other PC users what they can expect from their build. My end goal is to educate the masses to make the right decision when they are looking for new PC parts to buy

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Since the launch of chatGPT, the rise of AI has been rapid, causing a massive breakthrough in the world of technology, gaming, video editing, and more. There is no doubt that AI will have a significant effect on the gaming industry as well. So, the question remains: will AI revolutionize or ruin the gaming industry?

What Do Gaming Experts Say?

Gamers and developers alike are excited to witness the integration of AI into games. “AI is inevitably going to be a double-edged sword when it comes to the gaming industry,” mentioned a gaming researcher. The boss of TIGA, a body representing game developers, thinks that AI will “lead to more games being made and more jobs.” Sasha MacKinnon, founder and managing director of Mino Games, believes that “we’ll have more beautiful digital experiences.” 

However, not everybody is happy about the use of AI in gaming; some are concerned about the adverse impacts it will have on gamers and the industry. “Concerns about replacing human creativity are prominent,” posted Hakan Atceken, founder of Ranke Studios. Eventually, AI will run out of unique ideas and designs, making video games more redundant and visually dull.

Keywords Studios announced Project AVA, an experimental video game created solely using generative AI. The team “identified over 400 tools, evaluating and utilizing those with the best potential. But, the tooling was unable to replace talent,” Keywords said in its 2023 financial report. Recently, Saltwater Studios announced a “new era of gaming”, merging AI, Web3, and immersive tech into gaming.

Introducing Next-Level Gaming.

At Saltwater Games, we are pioneering a new era in gaming, merging Web3, AI, and immersive tech to redefine interactive entertainment. pic.twitter.com/noxtOqSM6K

— Saltwater Games (@saltwatergames) April 11, 2024

Considering the prominent usage of AI in games, Valve’s blog post announced that Steam will add AI games as long as the developers disclose its use.

Per my gaming experience, designing the characters, environments, and game scenarios should be limited to humans since video games are supposed to be immersive and engaging. Solely relying on AI developers and writers will juice the creativity out of the gaming industry.

Impact Of AI In Gaming

Project Ava made it “evident that generative AI tools will continue to evolve and broaden their capabilities in various fields, including audio, UI/UX, 3D, and beyond,” said Serkan Hassan, Studio Head at Electric Square. Therefore, we can foresee the tremendous potential of AI in designing and animating games.

Another benefit of using AI in gaming is the creation of more interactive Non-Player Characters (NPCs). Developers can use AI to make the enemy characters stronger, more responsive, and more realistic. The AI NPCs can analyze your moves, strategies, and strengths as you proceed through levels to produce more personalized character responses, making the game more challenging for the player.

Through AI, developers can add more extensive training levels at the beginning of the game. With this, players can take on the actual game stages and opponents with more confidence and experience. 

On the other hand, there are ways in which AI can prove destructive for the gaming industry. While AI can mass-produce video games with less effort and in a relatively shorter time, it will visibly downgrade the game’s quality, especially the visual experience. Scenes and environments will get repetitive, and levels can become more predictable.

Ethical concerns are another hurdle to relying on AI for gaming. Since machine learning requires user data, player information can be prone to safety risks. This is one reason why Project Ava did not succeed.

Will AI Make Or Break The Gaming Industry

I think it is too soon to judge whether heavily using AI in gaming will be a success or a disaster we all coming. But in my opinion, developers can utilize AI as one of the tools to make the gaming environment more realistic instead of solely resorting to it for game development.

Lastly, it will be interesting to see how Artificial Intelligence will shape the industry’s future. Still, one thing is certain: it will give game artists and developers fierce competition. If not used wisely, it has the potential to adversely affect the video gaming industry.

Bawal Zehri

[How-To Guides Expert]

Laiba, our tech guru at HI Digital, simplifies and crafts How-To Guides with a Google IT Support Certificate. Beyond tech, she captures the city’s aesthetics through her lens. Join her journey where tech meets creativity!

Get In Touch: Laiba@hidgt.com