Masahiro Sakurai, the director behind the Super Smash Bros. series, has expressed concerns that generative AI could lead to an explosion of unoriginal video games. However, he maintains that true human creativity, exemplified by designers like Fumito Ueda, cannot be replicated by artificial intelligence.
In a recent interview with Japanese outlet Denfaminicogamer, Sakurai discussed the increasing volume of game releases. He noted that in 2010, approximately 275 games were published on Steam, a number that has since ballooned to over 19,000 in the current year. Sakurai predicts this number will continue to grow, largely due to AI.
"I think most of them will become 'unprofitable titles'," Sakurai stated. "There are too many to keep track of, and it's impossible to understand them all. When it comes to things created with AI... or things mass-produced with poor quality, I think most of them will simply be reproductions of systems seen in various other games."
Sakurai pointed to simple puzzle games like "Librarian: Tidy Up the Arcane Library!" and "Needle in a Haystack Simulator," games that involve organizing books or finding a specific item in a vast environment. He suggested that such games, with their straightforward premises, are particularly susceptible to AI replication. The developer of "Needle in a Haystack Simulator" even resorted to adding an "original" tag to its Steam artwork after similar titles quickly emerged following its viral success.
While acknowledging AI's potential to mimic more complex games, Sakurai emphasized that unique artistic vision and innovation remain distinctly human. He cited Fumito Ueda, the acclaimed designer behind "Ico" and "Shadow of the Colossus," as an example of a creator whose future works will be beyond AI's capabilities. "What kind of artistic style will his future works possess? That's something only he can create. I think that's where human creativity lies," Sakurai explained.
Sakurai elaborated that AI primarily draws upon existing data and cannot generate truly novel concepts. He believes that individuals who forge their own paths and possess a unique creative flavor will become increasingly crucial in an era dominated by mass production and lower-quality outputs.
The rise of quickly developed AI games has become a notable trend. Steam Next Fest, for instance, has seen a significant increase in the number of available demos, partly attributed to this influx. Some independent developers have even reconsidered releasing demos and playtests due to fears of their games being copied by AI before an official launch.