The developer behind Infinity Nikki and Love and Deepspace has stated that artificial intelligence does not possess the soul necessary to replace human creators

Image credit: Infold Games

At the forefront of game development discussion, Infold Games, known for titles like Infinity Nikki and Love and Deepspace, emphasized the importance of human input in creating games. The company's CTO, Ji Zhang, highlighted this stance at the GDC: Festival of Gaming in San Francisco, as reported by IGN Japan.

While acknowledging the potential benefits of AI tools, Zhang stated, "AI is definitely rapidly developing, and it is definitely going to shape the game industry." However, he maintained that AI lacks the capacity to imbue projects with the same creativity and spirit as human developers, underscoring the irreplaceable role of core creators in the industry.

Another critical issue raised during the GDC was the escalating price of RAM, which is affecting the cost of next-generation consoles. As companies like Valve postpone new hardware launches and Xbox reveals plans for a high-performance console, there is growing concern about the affordability of these technologies for gamers.

Infold Games, developing for multiple platforms, faces potential challenges due to these trends. Nonetheless, Zhang expressed confidence, viewing the current hardware cost spikes as temporary. "The high demand for top-tier memory is par for the course, akin to the continual advancements in CPUs," Zhang noted, predicting the trend would stabilize over time as the market adjusts.

Discussing the technological backbone of Infold's notable games, Zhang identified how Infinity Nikki and Love and Deepspace feature distinctive development approaches. Both games are free-to-play and introduce new content regularly; however, they utilize different underlying technologies and engines. Love and Deepspace relies on the Unity engine, focusing on character details and facial expressions, while Infinity Nikki uses Unreal with an emphasis on open-world exploration.

Infold Games' dedication to graphics innovation dates back to 2019, when they transitioned from 2D to 3D visualizations with Shining Nikki. This included implementing physics-based materials and lifelike clothing simulations. Zhang explained that while commercial game engines like Unity and Unreal offer foundational support, the company tailors these platforms with proprietary enhancements, collaborating with hardware partners to maximize performance.

He detailed how the development process involves continuous refinement, identifying and overcoming bottlenecks to streamline efficiency. This iterative method allows for ongoing adjustments and improvements.

This article is adapted from original content on IGN Japan, with GamesIndustry.biz a part of IGN Entertainment.