Founder of miHoYo, Cai Haoyu, expressed on social media that only top talents and those who develop games for their interest have logical significance in game creation, and other game developers may consider changing careers. Cai Haoyu's remarks have been called "extreme" by some and have sparked discussions in the gaming industry.
Cai Haoyu, the founder of miHoYo, who rarely appears in public, made a highly opinionated public statement on social media yesterday.
Cai Haoyu believes that AI has completely revolutionized game development, and it's only a matter of time before this phenomenon unfolds. In the future, there are only two types of people who have logical significance in game creation:
One is the top 0.0001% of individuals, an elite group of highly insightful geniuses who create unprecedented things.
The other type is the 99% of amateur enthusiasts who can freely create games just to satisfy their own ideas.
As for other ordinary to professional developers, he bluntly suggests, "Consider changing careers."
"Drive away practitioners from the industry," joked someone who has been working in the game industry as an artist for over a decade. Cai Haoyu's remarks have also been referred to as "extreme" by some and have sparked discussions in the gaming industry.
In the wave of generative AI, game developers are the most proactive "embracers." Whether it's reducing the cost and improving the efficiency of game production or breaking through the current limits of game industrialization, game developers have no choice but to join this AI battle. Some have developed their own AI models, while others have invested in AI companies.
According to the latest released data from Gamma Data's "China Game Industry New Quality Productivity Development Report", over 99% of the respondents' companies or departments have introduced AI technology and tools, and nearly 60% of the top game developers have built AI production pipelines, empowered virtual content production, or implemented intelligent marketing.
AI has significant cost reduction and efficiency improvement effects in various aspects such as game art and marketing. In particular, in the field of art, this is a business where AI was first applied in the game development pipeline. Many companies have already applied AI-generated images in 3D animation overlays, skeletons, and even scene construction.
Game artists in the industry mentioned above told the Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily that last year, their company's art department was still in the stage of trial and exploration of AI, but this year it has been widely applied.
In addition to the cost reduction and efficiency improvement aspect, AI may also break through the existing boundaries of games and provide more core value.
According to Zhuang Minghao, Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Quwan Technology, there are mainly two paths for AI layout in the industry at the current stage. One is "existing scene + AI", and the other path is "AI Native".
"Existing scene + AI" refers to the integration of AI into existing business scenes within a company, which is most commonly seen in game companies in areas such as art, copywriting, NPCs, UGC maps, as well as social interactions such as player dialogues, player behavior analysis, and recommendations. Examples include Netease's UGC maps in "Egg Party" and Tencent's "King of Glory" with "Absolute Awakening".
"From the perspective of game creators, NPCs, maps, and storylines are essential content forms to be created in the early stages of game development. It's just that now with the rise of AI, everyone is incorporating AI into them," said Zhuang Minghao.
"AI Native" is a method that emphasizes incorporating artificial intelligence technology as a core component from the beginning of the product or service development process. This approach differs from the traditional way of treating AI as an additional feature or integrating it later.
Zhuang Minghao said that in this stage, game developers are thinking more about what native AI games should be like. Can AI generate social relationships? At present, many developers are trying the so-called LUI (Language User Interface), which is to interact with players through dialogue, allowing AI to be the core gameplay of the game or to generate, summarize, and organize the characters, player behavior, and experience in the game scene.
"Although these 'AI Native' games are far from our ideal and imagined ones, many companies have already taken action." Zhuang Minghao said.
Breaking through the current limits of the game is also something that MiHoYo, this unique game company in the industry, wants to do.
In September last year, Cai Haoyu stepped down as the legal representative and chairman of the company. At that time, the company responded that this was to adapt to the company's future development needs. Cai Haoyu will invest more energy in cutting-edge technology research and application, new project development, and connecting domestic and overseas research and development resources.
In terms of social media positioning, Cai Haoyu is currently in California, USA.