The rise of video gaming as a popular activity for all ages has been significant, particularly in recent years. As many of us have dealt with the pressures of being home for extended periods, the worlds of video games have allowed us to escape into an environment that enthralls and delights.
In the world of video game development, however, significant transformative events are changing the way that gamers interact with products. While the first wave of this transformation was largely seen in the way that games are served to customers, this second wave of change looks to be more transformative – particularly in the ways that games are designed and brought to market.
The increasing cost of video game development often forms a case study for those studying an MBA in Data Analytics – with the development of some triple-A titles incurring costs as high as the GDP of some Pacific island nations, does generative AI present an opportunity for developers to cut costs, while maintaining the quality of their games? Or, does it present a more ominous note for industry – one that seeks to challenge the status quo in the years to come?
Generative AI – Transforming the Landscape
The world has embraced the rapidly developing technology that is generative artificial intelligence. From its introduction as a humble chatbot, ChatGPT has forced a tectonic shift in the way that artificial intelligence is considered throughout many industries, including entertainment.
Consider the world we live in today – entertainment writers going on strike, highlighting the risks that AI presents to their work. Some game developers have been accused of firing employees and leaving the rest of their work to AI, something that these developers viciously deny. AI is transforming the way artists and developers work, whether they like it or not.
How Does Generative AI Benefit Development?
Much can be said for AI – in its infantile state, it doesn’t yet appear to be ready for widespread implementation. However, as models become more advanced, there is an increasing potential for these products to be used to supplement and enhance the work that artists and developers currently do.
Consider this – some of the work that a video game designer has to do is focused on the development of non-player characters (NPCs), that a player must interact with to complete activities such as quests. These can often be an element of design that can take many hours to complete – and may not necessarily be of much use in the game, such as skyboxes or additional buildings in a 3D landscape.
What if generative AI could be used in the development of supplemental game resources, which may require a large amount of a developer’s time, but may not be used frequently in games? This could potentially resolve some of the pitfalls faced by modern development – reducing the complexity of development, while also providing the material necessary to ship a complete game to the public (something which has been lacking by developers as of late).
What Does Generative AI Mean For Consumers?
If generative AI is used in the development of games, what does this mean for the consumer who pays for the product? Will this be a development that saves customers money, allowing us to spend money on quality experiences at a lower cost?
Sadly, the inclusion of generative AI doesn’t look like it will save customers money – at least not in the short term. These AI platforms run off of algorithms that can be incredibly costly to serve – not only in a world where semiconductors are becoming harder and harder to produce, but where the impacts of heavy AI usage can have significant impacts on local water supplies.
These impacts aren’t just financial – they can have a critical impact on the viability of a business in a region. As climate change impacts the places we live and the lives we lead, the increase in resource consumption as a result of generative AI could have some very real impacts on quality of life.
As the implementation of AI becomes more widespread, it may cause an increase in the cost of developing a video game. With some triple-A series costing as much as a billion dollars to produce (more than the GDP of Pacific islands such as Vanuatu), it’s expected that generative AI will increase the cost of video games in the years ahead.
Is This The End For Traditional Game Development?
Generative AI presents unique opportunities for the development of video games – however, it doesn’t appear to be the death knell that some in the industry have been concerned about. There are challenges when developing with AI, and the video games industry highlights one field of creative arts where being original may be more important than being generative.
It’s important to understand that developing assets through generative AI has significant risks – not only at an economic and environmental level but also through risks such as copyright. These risks are not insignificant to shareholders – and for those looking to develop the next Call of Duty or Zelda hit, these risks may simply be too much to bear.
The future looks to be an exciting time for the development of generative AI – however, unless the underlying concerns are addressed in due course, AI may just become another buzzword in the technological lexicon.
