The robots are coming for your polygons. And your job. That’s the gist of what Peter Levin, managing director and co-founder of Griffin Gaming Partners, had to say at GDC, according to a recent Variety Intelligence Platform podcast. The topic? The relentless march of AI into the hallowed halls of game development.
Levin, ever the pragmatist, suggests embracing our new AI overlords. “It’s an optimal time to be a developer or publisher and bake in the AI functionality within your product roadmap,” he stated, with the chilling detachment of someone who’s seen this movie before. And if developers aren’t thrilled? Too bad. “That’s going to happen with or without their sentiment.” So, resistance is futile. Prepare for assimilation.
Of course, nobody wants to talk about layoffs. Levin certainly doesn’t celebrate them. But let’s be real, gaming has always been quick to “trim the fat.” AI just sharpened the knives. It’s not about replacing artistry, but… optimizing it. Or something. Expect more efficient customer acquisition through targeted social media blitzes, crafted by algorithms that know your spending habits better than you do.
But it’s not all doom and gloom! Levin also sees bright spots. The impending arrival of the Nintendo Switch 2 and Grand Theft Auto 6 (if it ever actually ships) are reasons for optimism. And then there’s the siren song of emerging markets. Forget North America and Europe; the real growth is in places where smartphones are multiplying faster than rabbits.
Telcos in these regions, Levin notes, are watching their North American counterparts become “self-commoditizing big fat pipes” thanks to Google and Apple. The solution? Get directly involved in content creation. Invest in the local talent that understands not just localization, but “culturalization.” It’s cheaper, after all, and probably less likely to spark an international incident.
And what about Hollywood? They just can’t quit gaming. Levin points to Remedy’s deal with Annapurna Pictures for Control 2 as a smart move. Funding in exchange for film/TV rights? Genius! He’s also bullish on Skydance potentially acquiring Paramount, envisioning a new era of gaming integration. Because, let’s face it, Hollywood’s track record with video game adaptations is… spotty. Maybe this time will be different. (Narrator: it won’t.)
So, there you have it. AI is hungry, emerging markets are ripe for the picking, and Hollywood still thinks it can crack the gaming code. Business as usual, then. Just with more robots.
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