The A.I. Shovelware Flood | Extra Credits Gaming

Introduction

As the gaming industry continues to evolve, a significant ethical concern is emerging that many seem to overlook: the impending wave of shovelware generated by artificial intelligence (AI). The rise of generative AI technologies, like Google’s Genie AI, is set to revolutionize how games are created, drawing from vast amounts of player-generated content such as millions of hours of videos focusing on platformers.

At the push of a button, AI systems can now produce complete platformer games from scratch. While it’s true that the quality of these generated games may often be subpar, two critical factors must be considered: first, the AI's capabilities are improving rapidly, and second, the games are typically good enough to pass the minimum quality thresholds set by distribution platforms. This raises alarm bells regarding the future of game discoverability as we know it.

In just a few years, we may find ourselves inundated with hyper-casual games churned out by AI with little to no human involvement. Currently, there are virtually no restrictions governing the upload of AI-generated content on platforms like Steam or the App Store. This lack of oversight could lead to a scenario where tens of thousands of AI-generated games flood the market each day, drowning out meaningful content and making it increasingly difficult for quality games to be discovered by players.

To counteract the looming crisis of AI shovelware, the gaming industry must proactively establish guidelines that would ensure a minimum level of human involvement in game creation. For instance, distributors should define specific percentage thresholds indicating how much of a game must be crafted by humans before it is permitted for upload. Taking these steps will help preserve the integrity of the gaming community and prevent an overwhelming deluge of subpar content that risks alienating players.

Keywords

• AI
• Shovelware
• Generative AI
• Game development
• Discoverability
• Hyper-casual games
• Steam
• App Store
• Human involvement
• Gaming industry guidelines

FAQ

What is AI shovelware? AI shovelware refers to low-quality games generated by artificial intelligence, often lacking the polish and creativity of human-made content.

How does generative AI work in game development? Generative AI systems can analyze large amounts of player-generated content and use that information to create new games autonomously.

What are the risks of AI shovelware flooding the market? The influx of AI-generated games could dilute quality content, making it challenging for players to discover worthwhile and innovative games.

Why is discoverability a concern for future games? As AI-generated games become more common, the sheer volume of new titles could overwhelm existing discoverability tools and platforms, making it harder for players to find quality games.

What can the gaming industry do to address this issue? The industry should implement guidelines that set minimum human involvement standards for games to maintain quality and protect players from being inundated with low-effort content.