Dragon Quest co-creator Yuji Horii has revealed a new game that he claims was created in approximately 30 minutes using generative artificial intelligence. Horii, a legendary figure in the RPG genre, shared his experience over the weekend, highlighting the rapid pace of AI development.
Horii recalled the creation of his 1983 title, The Portopia Serial Murder Case, which he developed largely on his own. "I came up with the story myself, drew the pictures myself, did the programming myself, and created the game all by myself," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). He contrasted this with the present day, stating, "And now, by using AI, even if I can't draw pictures or program, I can just give instructions to the AI and create a decent game all by myself. It's truly astonishing."
He shared a link to the text-based interrogation game, adding a humorous note, "Oh, and don't press the boost button." The production time for this particular project was reportedly only about half an hour.
This recent project follows Horii's ongoing exploration of AI technology in game development. Earlier this year, the MMO Dragon Quest 10 integrated Google's Gemini AI to power an NPC chatbot named "Chatty Slimey." Horii defended this integration in an interview, noting the AI's improved accuracy and its potential to lower the barrier for players interacting with AI. "Because nowadays AI is really smart, it's fun. It doesn't matter what I ask it, it hardly ever makes things up [anymore]... It's evolving, and lately there are a lot of things you can do with it," he told Famitsu, as translated by GamesRadar.
Horii is also considering incorporating an AI-powered chatbot into future game projects. He is currently involved with the development of Dragon Quest 12: Beyond Dreams and a long-awaited sequel to The Portopia Serial Murder Case.
The use of generative AI in game development remains a contentious topic, with concerns raised by players, developers, and actors regarding job security and ethical implications. The announcement follows recent news of companies like Google and Unity releasing AI-driven game creation tools.