The CEO of Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games’ parent company, says AI will help studios produce higher-quality games. However, he doesn’t believe it will make game development faster or cheaper.
Take-Two’s CEO says generative AI will make games better but not cheaper
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick spoke at the Paley International Council Summit in New York last month. As Gaming Bible reported, his talk discussed how AI could enhance games like the upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI. Zelnick did not confirm whether GTA 6 uses AI development tools. Instead, he argued that generative AI will let developers create better games for the same amount of time and money. However, the Take-Two executive doesn’t expect that will translate to a net reduction in cost or development time. As such, consumers shouldn’t expect a decrease in prices.
Developers have used rising development costs to justify microtransactions and the shift to charging $70 for AAA games. Therefore, the more cynically minded might wonder if the Take-Two executive is making excuses.
Still, this attitude is in line with Zelnick’s past statements. During a November interview with CNBC’s Mad Money, the Take-Two executive argued that generative AI will improve game quality and benefit the consumer. However, during Take-Two’s earnings call in May, he argued that much of the discourse around AI is blatant hyperbole. This includes the idea that AI might come to dominate game development. “Genius is the domain of human beings, and I believe will stay that way,” said Zelnick.
Of course, this doesn’t necessarily address the controversy around AI, including the fear that developers will use it to cut staff and corners. Nexon subsidiary Embark Studios recently faced criticism for using AI-generated voice lines in The Finals. Embark and Take-Two may argue that they don’t intend AI to replace human actors and developers, but only time will tell if that is true.
