AI in Gaming Won’t Have a Half-Life 2 Moment

“We live in a world full of AI. Let’s be honest, just between ourselves,” said Patrice Désilets, creator of Assassin’s Creed.

What inspired such a bold statement? Désilets was defending the use of AI generation in game design pipelines. The pitchforks came out from the gaming masses.

That’s the state of AI in gaming. It’s in this context that Saber Chief Creative Officer, Tim Willits, arrives on the scene. Tim Willits believes opinions about AI in gaming will change. AI just needs to have a certain moment.

“Everyone has their own opinion,” Tim Willits said, “and maybe I’m being too optimistic, but somebody will make the Half-Life 2 of AI. I’m making a silly example, but someone will make something that will change people’s minds. When Steam first came out, people were like, ‘I’m not going to put some silly program on my machine!’ Now if Steam went away, the end of the world would happen. I think, give the industry a few years and we’ll figure it out.”

Now, Half-Life 2 was released in 2004. It is without a doubt one of the most influential games ever made. It was the Source Engine and Havok physics engine combined that made object interaction feel real. Physics-based puzzle design and environmental interactivity leapt forward afterwards.

Storytelling was done via the protagonist Gordon Freeman’s first-person perspective. A silent protagonist, other characters, and the game environment carried the story.

Let’s not forget, Half-Life 2 made Steam into a viable platform for gamers. The game shipped requiring Steam activation. No Steam. No game. Digital distribution was propelled as a viable way for companies to sell games. Today Steam is having a record year.

Yet, Half-Life 2 is not the correct comparison for AI in gaming’s breakout moment.

The better comparison is to GoldenEye 007.

How GoldenEye 007’s Legacy Differs From Half-Life 2’s

Half-Life 2 solidified and propelled trends already underway at the time (e.g., digital distribution). HL2 evolved what it means to be a shooting game.

GoldenEye 007 trailblazed. 007 revolutionized the medium. 007 has an enduring legacy.

Gamers will take a better view of AI when we get a GoldenEye 007-level of impact. Way back in the nineties, GoldenEye 007 was a pivotal first-person shooter developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. The game was based on the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye.

Yes, it was a 3D game when 3D was the new thing on consoles. But GoldenEye 007‘s impact was so much more.

GoldenEye 007 was known for proving that first-person shooters could be done and done well as a console experience. Prior to GoldenEye 007, first-person shooters were known as a PC affair. GoldenEye 007 changed that notion and paved the way for future FPS games like Halo.

GoldenEye‘s legacy is undeniable. The game was known for modern staples such as:

1. An aim mode
2. Enhanced enemy AI behavior
3. Varied level design
4. Multiplayer modes seen in every title since GoldenEye’s release

These are permanent changes to video games, not merely backend improvements.

What AI Needs to Do for Gaming

AI will need to do at least two of three broad things to make a lasting legacy.

1. Allow gamers and developers to create their own games easily and quickly. We are seeing some signs of knockoffs of popular games like Pokémon and Sonic appearing, courtesy of GPT-6 Astra. I suspect this milestone will come first.
2. Create a highly engaging, immersive, and scalable experience humanity could not have without AI.
3. Make the development process radically more efficient and cheaper.

Any two of these requirements change everything since they change the nature of games, interactions among gamers, and interactions between gamers and corporations.

AI’s Moment in Gaming

AI will need to do for gaming what GoldenEye 007 did. There needs to be a new genre-defining game that could only have been done using AI. Based on current trends, that game may appear by 2030. Whatever the video game will be, its legacy of AI use in gaming will be undeniable.

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