AI is ruining the gaming industry; and here’s why!

Now that AI is leaking rapidly into the digital entertainment sector, we dive in to answer the question on every gamer’s mind. Will AI revolutionise the gaming and content creation industry, or cause it to ultimately be overrun by desaturated ‘slop’?

AI has always been a device used in games since back in the early 1940’s, but with the recent developments of new AI now being used across all industries in and around online media, there has been a significant rise in its use to the extent that it is no longer just a tool used to support gaming. Rather, some argue that it has taken over the foundations that games are being built upon.

There is a plethora of ways that AI is affecting the new generation of gamers and developers through advertisement and media consumption, and now there is an uprise in the consumption and production of low effort ‘AI slop’ over developed games made by human creators.

Girl playing game on ps5 at desk. Photo credit: Calum Bryan

This is largely due to the influx of individual attention span dropping, which will have long term effects on ‘real games’ which are struggling to be pushed through all this artificially crafted media.

One of these worried individuals is an up and coming youtuber going by the name of Ultra2KGamerGuy, who’s content relies solely on his own creativity and the continuous development of high-quality games.

When speaking with him, he noted how algorithms on platforms such as Youtube and TikTok are beginning to favour solely AI content and push videos which are not human made.

“For creators especially it’s very harmful, it can destroy careers, it can just it can ruin lives effectively because of the algorithm.”

He is one of many YouTubers to speak out against the use of AI and point out that it is not only taking over the gaming world, but also the content creator world too.

Despite the push by algorithms and advertisement for artificially produced gaming content on platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Youtube, some creators like Ultra2KGamerGuy are determined to go against the grain and continue creating content without the use of AI.

“No, I’m never going to do it. You’ll never see me do it… I would much rather be myself and produce content that I like.”

With the combined effect of gaming organisations using generative AI to produce games, and platforms where these games are promoted through reviews and playthroughs pushing AI content and favouring games which have heavy AI use, we could see a significant decline of real creativity within a sector of entertainment that was founded on the idea on being creative and exploring the human experience.

Photo credit: Stephanie Farnsworth

Stephanie Farnsworth, a Media and Communications lecturer from the University of Sunderland who has expertise in gaming and a passion for the subject shared similar views to Ultra2KGamerGuy with regards to the direction that the industry is headed.

“Make sure that people aren’t losing out work and aren’t being laid off and also that means that you’re not losing that person’s creativity their expertise and their knowledge, because that’s how you create authentic games.”

With major gaming companies dipping into AI, such as EA and Ubisoft, there is a fear amongst not only casual gamers but also those that profit from games like developers and content creators that generative AI will run the gaming market into the ground and ultimately and cost the livelihoods of many in the industry.

Stephanie also discussed the fact that this increased use of AI does not only affect gamers, but also society worldwide.

“I think it’s really bad for employees I think it’s really bad for the planet and therefore everyone even the non-gamers.”

There are of course some positives to using AI, but as Stephanie points out, the ones who primarily benefit from its use are the ones in higher positions of power such as the CEOs of these major corporations. The easy use of AI means jobs can get done quicker and more effectively, however this will ultimately result in layoffs within companies as job security is threatened in exchange for chasing profit margins.

“What they think it’s great for is the CEOs thinking you know I could probably increase profits by whatever percentage right now.”

However not only does this pose risks for employees but also the company as audiences may not want to support the creation of AI-driven games and software, especially considering that prices in the gaming market for new games are on the rise.

“I think that’s a short-termist approach which really risks alienating audiences and ultimately making people put down their consoles.”

Gaming setup with controller. Photo credit: Calum Bryan

A great example of a gaming company making a controversial choice with regards to AI is the recent hiring of Asha Sharma as the new Xbox CEO, who has a core background in AI at Microsoft. Many gamers have already questioned Xbox’s corporate decisions in recent years and been dissatisfied with its overall performance, and this decision has only amplified worries in the community regarding the possible use of AI.

“There’s a real clash and there has been for quite a long time between what the CEOs are saying and what audiences want and are willing to pay for… they’re going to spend that money for something that’s poorer quality and that they know they’re not necessarily supporting creatives with.”

I think this topic leaves one question on everyone’s mind, are AI driven games the future of all gaming development and here to stick around, or is it simply the latest in a long line of quick and easy money-making schemes to eventually die out?

Regardless of the answer, what everyone can agree on is that if AI, and more specifically generative AI is here to stay, there should be rigorous amounts of restrictions and guidelines to ensure its proper use and ensure that creativity in the newer generations does not suffer as a result.