AI In Gaming: Revolution Or Repetition? Indian Game Makers Weigh In
Where does AI fit in game development? Where does it not? Do gamers even care? Leading experts in the country's gaming scene share their thoughts.
AI may be dominating headlines for reshaping jobs and industries, but in the world of gaming, it has quietly been a powerful ally for decades. From early arcade games with predictable enemy movement to today’s hyper-realistic, story-driven worlds, AI has always been part of the magic. Now, Indian game studios are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with this evolving tech, while keeping a cautious eye on its limitations.
ABP Live spoke to three leading voices in the Indian gaming scene to understand how AI is changing the game — literally — and what the future holds.
AI in Games: From Helpers to Hybrids
“First, it's crucial to understand the shift in AI over the last few years from algos to neural networks,” says Prateek Shah, Co-Founder of Studio Sirah, creators of the incredibly addictive card-based strategy game Kurukshetra: Ascension. According to him, this transition has removed earlier cost barriers and opened up massive possibilities, but it also means less transparency in how AI works.
Studio Sirah uses AI in two main ways: to train bots using reinforcement learning, and to personalise in-game experiences by analysing player behavior. “We aim to extend this model to provide increasingly unique in-game experiences,” Shah explains.
However, he cautions that the future isn’t fully automated just yet. “While prototyping has become far simpler, building and maintaining a high-quality game still requires a smart human-machine blend.”
Srinivasan Veeraraghavan, co-founder of Dot9 Games — the developers of the upcoming FAU-G: Domination that is sure to bring back those sweet memories of CS 1.6 LAN sessions — echoes this view.
His studio relies on AI primarily for speed, generating weapon skin ideas or experimenting with character designs. “But in the final version, we only use hand-crafted assets. AI art often feels repetitive,” he notes.
Where AI Fits — And Where It Doesn’t
While AI is clearly useful in prototyping, analytics, and even marketing mockups, developers are drawing firm lines in the sand.
“A strict no-go area for me is definitely audio voice-overs and random AI-generated art,” says Veeraraghavan. Despite experimenting with AI for quick prototyping of voices or visual elements, his studio ensures final outputs are human-made. “It just doesn’t capture the authenticity of our game’s style,” he explains.
Shalin Shodhan of Masala Games, developers of the upcoming Bollywood-tribute pixellated adventure Detective Dotson (out April 24), shares a similar sentiment. “AI art assets all look ‘AI-generated’ so I would wait on that to change before I use any,” he says.
His team uses AI occasionally to upscale sprites or beat writer’s block, but steers clear of AI for anything more significant.
Do Gamers Even Care?
There's a general consensus among developers that players don’t mind the use of AI, as long as the final product delivers.
“I think gamers do care about the quality of the game which you are shipping, period,” says Veeraraghavan. “To get realism, we already use AI-driven features built into graphics cards — like advanced lighting and shading.”
Shodhan agrees. “Honestly, the issue is that ‘Did you use AI’ is even a talking point. If the game is good, how does it matter?”
That said, both Shah and Veeraraghavan stress the need for some transparency, perhaps a disclosure on whether generative AI was used during development. “Let players make an informed choice,” says Shah.
What’s Next: A Future Powered By AI?
By 2030, developers expect AI to be deeply woven into every stage of game development. Shodhan sees AI assisting across writing, coding, marketing, testing, and more. Asset creation, however, will still need fine-tuning.
Veeraraghavan envisions no-code AI-powered games generating massive revenue, with players gravitating towards whatever delivers the most fun — AI-made or not. “People just want fun quality games to play, AI or no AI, period.”
And Shah paints a near sci-fi future where players step into fully personalised adventures shaped in real-time by AI. “Where we could build or explore new worlds… or just sit in a beautiful environment and play cards,” he muses.
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News headlines at this hour in fatafat style | 6 December 2021
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