Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the transformative impact of AI on the gaming industry, highlighting the evolution of NPCs and the emergence of AI-native games, while questioning the current state and future direction of AI in gaming [1]. Group 1: AI in NPC Development - The initial demand for AI in gaming is to mimic human behavior, particularly in NPCs, which are crucial for player interaction [3][4]. - Traditional NPC design relied on behavior trees and finite state machines, but these methods are limited in creating truly human-like interactions [5]. - The integration of large language models into NPC behavior aims to enhance their expressiveness and interaction capabilities [6][7]. - Major gaming companies in China, such as NetEase and Tencent, are rapidly adopting AI for NPCs, enhancing their conversational and behavioral realism [9][11]. Group 2: Rise of Text-Based AI Native Games - Character.ai has emerged as a leading platform for AI-driven text-based games, achieving significant user growth, with MAU increasing from 30 million to 63 million within a year [13][16]. - The platform appeals particularly to younger audiences, with 66% of users aged 18-24, indicating a strong demand for emotional companionship through AI [16]. - Text-based adventure games are well-suited for AI integration, allowing for deep interaction with NPCs, which aligns with current AI capabilities [17][21]. Group 3: Challenges in Game AI Development - The gaming industry lacks high-quality, stable, and quantifiable datasets necessary for training specialized AI models, which hampers the development of vertical AI tools for gaming [25][30]. - The dynamic and interactive nature of games complicates the quantification of gameplay experiences, making it difficult to create effective AI models [29][30]. Group 4: AI as a Development Tool - AI is increasingly being used as a production tool in game development, with 52% of companies reportedly utilizing generative AI tools [33]. - Companies like Roblox and Tencent are leading in the development of AI-generated 3D assets, enhancing the efficiency of game development processes [34][38]. Group 5: Future of AI in Gaming - The article suggests that the next generation of gamers, who are growing up with AI technologies, will shape the future of AI-native games and potentially become developers and investors in this space [42].