The use of generative AI in video games is one of the hottest topics in the industry right now, and a few weeks ago the biggest game of the year so far, Crimson Desert, found itself at the center of controversy after it was released. discovered that some paintings in the game had been created using this technology.
Steam’s policy requires games to clearly indicate on their store pages whether generative AI was used in their creation, but using these tools in the development process is in no way against the rules. So should studios feel obligated to apologize for using such technology? That’s a question IGN recently asked Taeseok Jang, Korean developer and head of PUBG Studios.
“That’s a bit of a tricky question,†Jang responds. “But what I can tell you for now is that I am currently studying and monitoring the situation and use cases of AI in the industry. Does this kind of situation only occur in the video game industry, or does it also affect the arts sector or other industries? So in reality, as a fan, it doesn’t really matter to me. Because if they create good gameplay, I don’t care if they use AI for the graphics. Maybe it’s different from the developers’ or investors’ point of view, but yes, I can’t give you a specific answer on this because I’m still studying and analyzing the issue. HAS”
So it would seem that PUBG Studios places more importance on the art of designing compelling gameplay than on the human touch of the game’s graphics. To a certain extent, this is understandable — Battlegrounds is an experience based almost exclusively on the timeless tension of its combat, its loot system and its survival loop — but we can’t help but think that others Aspects of game design should be equally considered. The problem remains the overall cost of AI, and the loss of work at the artistic design level. Especially since the result is often not good, nor even controlled to be better. The worst part is that it makes me personally paranoid about what can be perceived or not.
So what is PUBG’s stance on using generative AI in its own games? Jang responds: “Our position is that, fundamentally, our goal in using AI is to offer our users new and entertaining gaming experiences. We consider it a tool, much like Maya, that we have used in the past. There is no difference as to the objective of this AI. So I think AI will give us the freedom to focus on more entertaining gaming experiences, as it can provide us with more freedom and time by automating repetitive tasks. So when we’re creating new gameplay, we’re not using AI much yet, but we’re at the stage right now where we’re looking to make it more useful in creating new experiences for our users. HAS”
“Automation of repetitive tasks†certainly sounds attractive, but is it only a positive aspect for many negative aspects? Probably in the balance it weighs more for CEOs and business leaders, but I’m not sure the thousands of game developers who have already lost their jobs over the past year would agree.
However, AI technology seems to be more anchored in the culture of Krafton, the parent company of PUBG Studio. The publisher is currently in the middle of a long and costly dispute with Unknown Worlds, the developers of Subnautica 2, in which the subsidiary studio claimed that the Krafton CEO had used ChatGPT to “help it think of ways to avoid paying the earn-out clause “This bill would amount to the not insignificant sum of 250 million dollars.
Recently, Krafton said in a press release that while remaining “focused on its core identity as a games developer,” the company would continue to “explore opportunities arising from its gaming technology.” She added that “since 2021, the company has primarily used AI technologies to enrich gaming experiences and improve development efficiency, particularly through concepts such as CPC (Co-Playable Characters). In October, KRAFTON announced its transition to an AI-driven company to implement workflow automation, with the goal of reinvesting time and resources into creative game development.
“In the future, Krafton is evaluating how its gaming technology could ultimately be applied to areas such as physical AI and robotics,” the statement continued. “These areas are viewed as long-term exploration opportunities, not short-term business initiatives, and build on Krafton’s experience operating large-scale virtual worlds and physics-based simulations. » Krafton therefore seems to be betting everything on the AI revolution.
What about you? Does AI bother you? Are you embarrassed if you perceive it? What will you do if you like something produced by AI without realizing it until someone points it out to you? Are you worried about no longer being able to make a difference?
Erwan Lafleuriel is editor-in-chief of IGN France. He can be seen hanging out live on IGN France’s Twitch for various let’s plays, and as a reviewer for the manga/anime show Le Cri du Mochi, in partnership with Caroline Segarra.
