Hyderabad: The ongoing Indian Games Developers Conference (IGDC) is abuzz with future possibilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration in the gaming world.
With the gaming market booming, many perceive that newly launched AI tools will provide quick solutions and even reduce financial constraints. Some gaming firms from Hyderabad have taken the lead in adopting AI technologies. Industry experts, however, pointed out that AI application in the sector was not entirely new and, in early 2020, Sony had developed an AI agent capable of outperforming the world’s top drivers in the PlayStation game Gran Turismo.
“Over the years, AI tools have advanced within the industry. Currently, we are using Version 1 and 2 tools. Over the next one to two years, these tools will continue to evolve, and companies will adapt accordingly. Just as AI-enabled chatboats have progressed in customer service, AI will eventually take over simpler tasks, while more complex responsibilities will still be managed by people, albeit with AI assistance,” an expert said
As one of the first companies in AI-driven game development, Hyderabad-based Seven Seas Entertainment CEO L Maruthi Shankar said, “Gamers consistently seek high-quality, hyper-realistic visuals and unique experiences. Achieving this demands significant time, resources and huge budgets. We successfully created three games – Alex in Danger (action), Horse World Ride (adventure), and Step into the World Cricket League (sports) – with first-generation AI tools. The time taken to develop these games was significantly reduced compared to our previous games without AI tools. As AI accelerates game development, it will lead to an increased number of releases each year.”
During discussions, it was also noted that Chinese companies possess AI technology that rapidly generates animations and crafts realistic three-dimensional scenes.
Srikanth Lanka, chief strategy officer for the Telangana IT ministry said, “The Telangana govt is fully cognisant of this trend and is in the process of establishing a dedicated AI city. As the gaming industry is robust in Hyderabad, the integration of AI and gaming is expected to occur naturally.”
With the gaming market booming, many perceive that newly launched AI tools will provide quick solutions and even reduce financial constraints. Some gaming firms from Hyderabad have taken the lead in adopting AI technologies. Industry experts, however, pointed out that AI application in the sector was not entirely new and, in early 2020, Sony had developed an AI agent capable of outperforming the world’s top drivers in the PlayStation game Gran Turismo.
“Over the years, AI tools have advanced within the industry. Currently, we are using Version 1 and 2 tools. Over the next one to two years, these tools will continue to evolve, and companies will adapt accordingly. Just as AI-enabled chatboats have progressed in customer service, AI will eventually take over simpler tasks, while more complex responsibilities will still be managed by people, albeit with AI assistance,” an expert said
As one of the first companies in AI-driven game development, Hyderabad-based Seven Seas Entertainment CEO L Maruthi Shankar said, “Gamers consistently seek high-quality, hyper-realistic visuals and unique experiences. Achieving this demands significant time, resources and huge budgets. We successfully created three games – Alex in Danger (action), Horse World Ride (adventure), and Step into the World Cricket League (sports) – with first-generation AI tools. The time taken to develop these games was significantly reduced compared to our previous games without AI tools. As AI accelerates game development, it will lead to an increased number of releases each year.”
During discussions, it was also noted that Chinese companies possess AI technology that rapidly generates animations and crafts realistic three-dimensional scenes.
Srikanth Lanka, chief strategy officer for the Telangana IT ministry said, “The Telangana govt is fully cognisant of this trend and is in the process of establishing a dedicated AI city. As the gaming industry is robust in Hyderabad, the integration of AI and gaming is expected to occur naturally.”
