As of 2023, one of the most downloaded and played games in the world is Candy Crush. This is quite the achievement, considering it was first released eleven years ago, in 2012.
But there’s a problem. With the demand for the game continuing to grow, more and more levels are having to be created and released to add something new and fresh for gamers. Already, there are over 14,000 levels in the game, but the wait for a new batch is getting longer.
This isn’t an issue exclusive to Candy Crush, either. It is a problem being experienced by a number of different developers around the world, and although it might not seem like a big deal for some people – good things come to those who wait! – it isn’t ideal in a gaming world putting more emphasis on convenience, speed, and efficiency.
The Move To Generative AI
According to the chief technology officer of developers King – the company behind Candy Crush – generative AI is going to be brought to speed up the level-building process, eradicating rule-based tasks so that the level designers can focus on new features, more levels, and future innovation.
Essentially, generative AI can streamline the process behind building games, while also allowing developers to run wild with their imagination without any barriers.
AI has already been used in game development for a few years – for instance, King has been using it to test the game and ensure the level of difficulty remains balanced – but generative AI is a different kettle of fish. With generative AI, studios will be able to quickly generate content based on just a few inputs, with machine learning also used to better develop each new level cycle. In short, the AI used here will be able to understand the games and the people that play them.
Not all games need generative AI, of course. There are certain games that create enough difference, intrigue, and engagement within their existing more ‘rigid’ structures and rules. Or, indeed, the structures and rules of these types of games can be adjusted to create slight variations. For instance, blackjack is an enduring game – both in physical life and on devices. Over its vast history, different variants of blackjack have been produced both due to geographical differences and player innovation. More variations have followed in its time as a digital game. Nonetheless, no player is calling for generative AI to offer new ways to play. Some games, like blackjack, can be left to their own non-AI evolutionary path.
Is There A Problem With Generative AI?
There are those who are concerned about this, however. As generative AI gets better and becomes a more real possibility for the future of gaming, game developers could find that their crucial jobs are being replaced by tech. As well as this, while Collins states that it should free up developers, as generative AI continues to get used – and its impact is fully realised – AI could replace creativity and end the need for any human thought process at all.
For games like Candy Crush – and other simplified forms of iGaming – this might not be an issue. But for more complicated RPG or open-world games, there is the concern that AI will eventually formulate ideas, build maps, and generate new locations – cutting down the budget of AAA development and speeding the time between releases. For gamers, too, this could become a problem, as worlds become more algorithm-based rather than genuinely innovative and immersive.
The gaming world – along with most other industries – has to be careful about how it introduces generative AI into its pre-existing systems, especially if there is to be an emphasis on true, human creativity for players in the future. It is an exciting time, to be sure, but a time to be cautious too.
