There have been considerable changes in the Gaming industry after the evolution of AI and Machine Learning. AI in Gaming is the hottest trend, and game developers are leveraging it in real time. This blog is all about the innovations and future of gaming, including how AI is helping game development companies to offer unique games to people.
Do you remember which was your first game on a gadget or smartphone? If we ask this question to any random guy in a crowd, then there are 99.9% chances that they will easily tell you. Nobody forgets his first video game played. Many things have changed, and you only need a smartphone to play your favorite game. Thanks to the technology that made it possible for all.
Mobile and tablet gaming app solutions are rapidly progressing with the technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Blockchain, AR- V.R., and others. The continuous evolution has a great influence on the whole gaming industry.
For example, the value of the video game market in the U.S. is $97.67 billion USD. Not only the gaming software market but also the hardware market is rapidly rising. The monthly U.S. video game industry’s hardware revenue is $1.5 billion USD.
These figures are enough to depict that the future of gaming is bright, and there will be more updates are upcoming soon. If you are looking to implement A.I. in gaming or want to launch a game, then this blog might be a good reference for you.
Before we dive deep into this blog, it would be best to look at some key stats of the game industry. It will give you a broad insight into the industry.
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Key Stats: AI & Game Industry
- By 2025, the AI software market size will be $126 billion, and the global video game market value will be $268.81 million.
- North America is counted as top grossing gaming market worldwide.
- The retail gaming revenue(USA) was $7.58 billion in 2022.
- In 2021, in the USA, gaming consoles generated a revenue of $8.4 billion.
- In 2023, the number of active gaming users will surpass 3 billion compared to 2.69 billion in 2020.
- 79% of gamers are adults in the USA.
- The PUBG mobile was the highest-grossing mobile game in 2021.
- Free-to-play games generate near around $70 billion in market revenue per year.
- The video game subscriptions are estimated to have 13.5% annual growth.
- The global VR gaming market’s worth is $6.26 billion.
There are more stats you can find over the internet. All these stats are commonly depicting one thing that is rapid growth in the gaming industry. For this growth, the credit goes to technology such as AI in gaming, AR-VR, and others.
Still, some readers might raise questions about how AI is related to gaming or how AI in video games works, or what the examples of AI in video games are. So, you will find all related answers in the upcoming sections. Let’s start with the basic information.
What is AI in Gaming?
AI is such fantastic technology and has applications in different industries where, and gaming is one of these. Artificial intelligence in video games stands for developing responsive and intelligent behavior in NPCs (non-player characters), similar to human intelligence.
These NPCs are controlled by human players during gameplay. AI-based games are enhancing the gaming experience in the most positive way. The technology is helping game developers to create a real-life situation that captures the whole attention of a gamer, and he feels like part of the story.
It is the motive of each game development company to make a game that offers a unique experience to its players due to the high competition in the market. Here AI technology works best to do so. If your question is –
How is AI used in gaming?
Or
What are the use cases of AI in gaming?
Then there are some of the key use cases of how game development companies are using AI. So, let’s start.
1. NPCs
The NPC is an acronym or abbreviation for non-player characters. These are controlled by AI and act intelligently. These NPCs serve in gaming as a plot device and assist in gaming missions and game functions.
Behind the behavior of NPCs, there are certain algorithms and AI engines. There is another technique that is also used for guiding the behaviors of NPCs is decision trees.
2. Image Enhancements
There is an equal role of images compared to the game levels to develop an entertaining game. AI in game development works superbly for it. The AI developers use deep learning to enhance the images and transform the 3-D images into real-life photos. It also improves video game graphics, which directly improves game playing.
3. Game Level Generation
Nobody takes an interest in single-level games. Almost all game players used to play games that offer different levels, from easy to tough. The technique to create the game levels is called PCG, aka. Procedural Content Generation. For the same, AI algorithms are there that help in creating the game levels. Environment and gaming assets.
4. Pathfinding
If you have played the game, then you know what it means to find a path in the gameplay. While playing a mission, you have to start from one location and reach a point where that particular mission ends.
While moving from one point to another, AI tracks movement, playing, decisions, and techniques. Then it creates the gaming landscape accordingly, similar to the real location.
5. Game’s Complexity Balance
The AI Algorithms have the best applications in creating and balancing the complexity while developing the game stages. These algorithms are helpful in forecasting the consequences of game-playing decisions. Its best example is FIFA’a ultimate team mode.
6. Decision Making
For any game, decision-making is crucial based on it the player wins or loses the rounds. But it is from the players’ perspective. If you are going to develop an AI game, then implementing it will increase the chances of fine game development where users will love it. The algorithms facilitate NCPs to choose possible options and describe behavior.
7. Data Mining
For mobile game development, data mining helps a lot in understanding the behavior of players. It helps in finding how people perform actions at certain game steps, which parts people used to play more, how they stopped the game, and where they feel difficulty in game playing.
8. Player Experience Modeling
AI in gaming can help gaming app developers to figure out the players’ ability, decision power, and emotional state of the player. Later it helps in-game modeling. If it is a dynamic game, then AI helps it to balance the complexity based on the player’s gameplay.
The Advantages of AI In Gaming?
Whenever it comes to developing an Ai based game, then people search like-
What are the benefits of AI in gaming?
Then there are several reasons that make AI a suitable choice for game development. Now these days, mobile app development services providers are leveraging AI to provide a comprehensive gaming experience to users. Overall, AI is bringing a big change in the gaming industry, and it is making game creation innovative.
Here are some key benefits of AI in gaming that you would love to know.
- Smart and Realistic Gaming
If you are a combat or racing game player, then you can easily correlate the connection. The games are becoming smarter and more realistic, and due to it, the population of gamers is increasing rapidly. The best example is- self-learning by NCPs from their actions.
- Cost and Time Saving
Game development is not an easy task itself. It requires lots of time, energy, and cost. With the help of AI in gaming, game developers can develop the game in less time at an affordable cost.
- Improved Gaming Experience
Worldwide, game development companies are emphasizing improving the gaming experience. There are two technologies by which it is going possible one is AR-VR, and the other is Artificial intelligence. It allows for implementing features like audience effects, weapons effects, vehicle moving, and sound effects.
- Simplified Game Creation
Artificial Intelligence has revolutionized the whole gaming industry. It helps game developers, from creating the gameplay to graphics enhancements and animation process to the quality assessment process. AI bots are helpful in testing the game more accurately than human QAs. it ensures a glitch-free gaming experience and reduces development time.
- Gamer’s Authenticity
Scammers are everywhere, even in the game playing also. AI in gaming can help in finding out the authenticities of game players. The AI bots are capable enough to conduct the accurate verification process and ensure a smooth gaming experience.
What Are The Best Examples of AI Games For Play?
There are multiple games available over the internet, and has a strong fanbase. Most gamers used to play combat and racing games. However, there is a separate fanbase of games such as Cricket and Football that users use to play on their gaming stations. If you are looking to find out the best examples of AI-based games, then these are:
- FIFA
- E.A.R.
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- The Last of Us
- Half-Life
- Grand Theft Auto 5
- XCOM: Enemy Unknown
- Halo: Combat Evolved
- Minecraft
- Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist
- Middle Earth: Shadow Of Mordor
The Future of AI In Gaming?
Whatever we see in games it is the result of innovation, and it is certain that the future is also dependent on innovation. The ultimate goal is to make a video, or pc, or mobile game more dynamic instead of fixed gameplay. The gamer must fail to predict the next move and show real-time performance. It will not only enhance the gameplay but also will increase the play life, and users will interact with the game more time.
Including AI, other technologies are also providing tremendous results, such as NFT game development. Even there is no surprise if we have a game in the future combining all Web3 Technologies such as Crypto, IoT, AI, AR/VR, and Metaverse.
Now let’s read what trending innovations are shaping the future of the gaming industry.
- Cloud Based Gaming
Cloud-based gaming has taken the gaming experience higher, where a gamer does not need to download and install the game. It frees from resource management; you only need a cloud-compatible system.
- AR-VR and Wearable Gaming
Augmented reality and virtual reality both are in trend since their launch and now rapidly progressing. If you can’t have supportive systems, then you can enjoy AR-VR-based games in your nearby games arena. In combination, games are going on higher levels based on mixed reality.
- Blockchain-Based Gaming
Blockchain development is one of the trending topics, and it has an influence on the gaming industry as well. The advantage of Blockchain technology is users can purchase skins, avatars, and digital properties using cryptocurrency. All transactions remain safe due to the Blockchain network.
- Voice Recognition Games
Voice recognition-based gaming is a new concept where a user can give voice commands while playing the game.
- Mobile Gaming
The days are gone when you needed a hefty computer system for gameplay. Now you can enjoy multiple combat or sports game on your mobile screen. The only thing you need is the latest smartphone with the required configuration. Although fantasy sports app development is also popular that you can consider it under the umbrella of mobile gaming.
The Final Thoughts
After reading the whole blog, one thing is clear there are multiple possibilities with Artificial Intelligence to take game development to an unexpectedly high level. AI can help you to develop a unique game with the richest user experience. For the best results, you can hire dedicated developers having extensive experience in implementing AI in gaming. It can be a good source of revenue generation.
Suppose if you are a startup and want to start the business with a gaming app, then it would be such a fantastic way. The gaming industry is much bigger now, so there are ample chances for business growth. So, leverage it now.