New AI Report Confirms the Games Industry Is Officially at a Dangerous Tipping Point
A new survey on the game industry has some very deflating results
Gamers are getting more comfortable with AI in games, study says
The research firm Bain & Company just released its annual report on the video game industry, and it's a depressing read. For starters, players are becoming increasingly comfortable with generative AI in video games. Overall, 14% said they had become significantly more comfortable with the game industry's use of AI, 28% became somewhat more comfortable, 44% stayed the same, 8% became somewhat less comfortable, and 6% became significantly less comfortable. Teenagers trended most toward comfort, with 23% becoming significantly more comfortable with AI in games. Older gamers were on the opposite end of the spectrum, with their comfort with AI in games decreasing significantly by 15% and somewhat by 10%. That said, the survey doesn’t ask participants whether they are generally supportive of AI in games. For instance, if a survey respondent went from despising AI to still hating it, but a bit less, they might say they became significantly more comfortable with it.
AI in game development remains a hot-button issue, with games like Rideshare “Stimulator” catching significant flak for undisclosed AI use. Other recent pushback includes Expedition 33: Clair Obscur having its reward revoked at the Indie Game Awards over its use of the technology, the AI-generated music video for Stellar Blade: Blood Rain drawing criticism, and players criticizing Fortnite's choice to add bad AI voice acting.
Beyond these AI insights, the survey found that most players intend to stick with the same types of games instead of trying something new. In response to the question “Looking ahead to the next 12 months, which best describes your interest in trying new video games?” two-thirds of respondents said they want more of the same. 33% want something similar to the games they currently play, 19% want franchise sequels, and 13% said they'll be focusing on existing games. Only 21% said they want something different, while 14% said they don’t know.
Still, despite these answers, unique and original games continue to find success. Meccha Chameleon is the highest-selling game of the year so far, and it isn’t part of an existing franchise. Many of last year’s best-sellers are also new series, with Peak, Arc Raiders, and Split Fiction doing quite well. Admittedly, most best-sellers are either shooters, like last year’s top-seller Battlefield 6, or sports games, but it’s clear that new franchises continue to find an audience.