AAA Game Development Is Unsustainable But Generative AI Can Help, Smash Bros. Boss Says

Renowned video game creator Masahiro Sakurai, recognized for developing the beloved Kirby series and his contributions to the Super Smash Bros. franchise, recently expressed concern that the current approach to massive game development is becoming increasingly untenable.

He expressed to ITMedia, through IGN’s translation, that it seems excessively laborious and perhaps not sustainable for game companies to keep creating massive games at their current scale.

Sakurai noted that even independent game creators encounter difficulties. He explained that for indie developers to thrive, they require a substantial amount of luck, hard work, refinement, and unique selling points.

The developer expressed his belief that generative AI could serve as an effective aid for developers, particularly those working on extensive video game projects.

He expressed his belief that a significant advancement currently is the use of generative artificial intelligence. He suggested that production studios, such as AAA ones, should adapt their work methods by integrating gen AI to boost productivity. He feels we’re in a period where only companies able to adapt to these changes will be able to endure,” he stated.

Primarily, Sakurai creates video games for Nintendo; however, his company, Sora Ltd., is independently operated and not affiliated with the gaming corporation. The president of Nintendo of America, Doug Bowser, opines that artificial intelligence (AI) could influence the future of gaming, yet he emphasizes that a “human touch” remains indispensable for crafting exceptional games.

In simpler terms, you could say that Bowser is essentially repeating what Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa stated in 2023. At that time, he mentioned that Nintendo might use AI like any other technology they come across, but their games won’t solely depend on technology. Meanwhile, Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto has indicated that Nintendo might not immediately adopt AI just because other companies are doing so.

Sakurai isn’t alone in expressing doubts about the long-term viability of the AAA gaming scene, as Shawn Layden, a former PlayStation leader, has been advocating this perspective for quite some time. Regarding the potential impact of emerging AI systems on game development, it’s uncertain how things will unfold, but developers are already employing these tools to expedite production processes. This week, EA Sports announced they developed a “revamped machine learning-based pipeline” to accelerate work on NCAA Football 26. By the year 2024, most video game creators globally were adopting AI technologies to develop games, despite continuing labor concerns.

Previously, Daniel Vavra, director of Kingdom Come, expressed optimism about the future role of artificial intelligence (AI) in game development, believing it could speed up and streamline production at his studio. However, not all game creators share this excitement. Recently, influential developer Yoko Taro voiced concerns that AI may lead to unemployment among game developers. The long-term effects of integrating AI systems into studios are yet to be determined. Swen Vincke from Larian Studios has adopted AI to automate time-consuming tasks that people typically avoid.

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2025-06-24 17:41