Following a challenging week for the industry, which saw Xbox close four more studios—two of them were Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks—Electronic Arts has made an unusual announcement about the use of AI in game development in titles like Battlefield. This statement suggests that, possibly, many developers will be willing to use AI to accelerate development times and make the work easier.
The news was first reported by Video Game Chronicle; in the X post of the article, the reception was not good at all. Many users are attacking Andrew Wilson for trying to make use of AI. The majority of players did not like Wilson’s words.
Games Like Battlefield Could Be Using AI in Their Development, According to Electronic Arts CEO
The aftermath of Xbox, which led to the closure of four studios in Bethesda simultaneously, engulfed the internet. This affected Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, and two other studios, leading to the loss of numerous jobs. Many developers posted their reactions on X, talking about how badly Microsoft was managing this. However, other executives talked about other topics that make fans unhappy.
In a recent interview, Andrew Wilson, EA CEO, talked about how this company will be facing development in the future. In the latest financial report for the company, he discussed the use of AI in games such as EA Sports FC 24.
This has also angered some other game developers, such as solo developer COWCATGames.
Don't talk for us devs, please.
— BROK THE INVESTIGATOR 🐊 (@COWCATGames) May 8, 2024
Personally I see the value of a game by how much hand crafted work is performed. If it's computer generated, then the value goes down and so should the game prices.
The CEO further stated that the company has been utilizing this technology since its inception, accelerating stadium designs and crowd animations for this kind of game.
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Wilson really went deep, praising how AI could make development cycles shorter. Using EA Sports FC 24 as an example, the animations of the player’s face could change completely by using this kind of technology. He stated,
We’ve analyzed all of our development processes, and based on our early assessment, we believe that the advances in generative AI will positively impact more than 50% of our development processes
He wants to expand the gaming world by using AI to improve every aspect of development, make it faster, and launch titles with so many years of difference. He added,
If efficiency starts to really take place over the next 1–3 years, our expectation is that, over a 3- to 5-year time horizon, we will be able to, as part of our massive online communities and blockbuster storytelling, build bigger, more immersive worlds that engage more players uniquely around the world.
The EA CEO also talked about the next Battlefield game, saying that it will be even more focused on the live-service aspect.
There is a goal to create a universe in these games where there is a multiplayer and single-player experience. Battlefield 2042 was one of the franchise’s worst failures, causing every fan of the saga to abandon the game without coming back, resulting in reviews that were below average.
What are your thoughts about these declarations? Let us know in the comments!
