AI is trendy right now, but the gaming industry may not be ready to accept it at this point.

Written By: Aniqa Batool
Last Updated On: September 22, 2023

Traditional algorithmic AI has been used by game makers such as Japan’s Koei Tecmo “for a long time,” Hisashi Koinuma, president and chief operating officer of Koei Tecmo Games, told CNBC at the Tokyo Game Show.

However, issues persist when employing the most recent iteration – generative AI — in game production.

“We are not yet at the stage of integrating generative AI into our products, but we are in the process of testing various ways to integrate it in the future,” Koinuma explained.

TOKYO — With the Tokyo Game Show 2023 underway, video games are in the spotlight — but some of Japan’s best game creators think hot technologies like virtual reality/augmented reality headsets for game production may not be ready yet.

Traditional algorithmic AI has been used by game companies such as Japan’s Koei Tecmo “for a long time,” Hisashi Koinuma, president and chief operating officer of Koei Tecmo Games, told CNBC, but obstacles persist when utilizing the latest version – generative AI — in game production.

“We are not yet at the stage of integrating into our products, but we are in the process of testing various ways to integrate it in the future,” Koinuma said on Wednesday.

“We are still researching and studying how and to what extent generative AI will benefit game production, including rights-related issues, and how much it will contribute to making better games.”

The issue of copyright concerns is not exclusive to Koei Tecmo.

Earlier this month, Microsoft informed Copilot, its service, users that the business will accept legal responsibility if any copyright violation occurs.

The gaming industry offers limitless opportunities.

While generative AI is a new frontier, the rush in the development of VR and AR headsets is another, especially in the aftermath of Apple’s Vision Pro announcement last quarter, Meta’s ongoing development of their Quest line of products, and Sony’s recent VR2 release.

However, many people believe that the games provided so far have fallen short of the devices’ expectations.

It’s a sentiment shared by seasoned developer Koinuma, who is enthusiastic about the possibilities but apprehensive about the execution following his first excursion into the field.

“We were one of the first companies that tried to develop VR games,” he explained. “However, it was still too early: There were various obstacles, such as the gadgets themselves not being suitable for playing games for period time.”

“We felt that these products were not yet at the stage of being a tool that could provide the pure enjoyment that you can get from playing games,” Koinuma continued.

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