NetEase has come out to quickly shut down reports that the company has stopped using GenAI in its games. Earlier today Grasshopper Manufacturer’s Suda51 reported on X that the makers of Where Winds Meet won’t use AI at all and even went as far we closing GenAI research and development.
They originally had a section researching and developing AI-related stuff, but they decided not to do that anymore. They told their studios not use AI in games, to not use it at all.” -Suda51
However, in a statement provided to Daniel Ahmad, NetEase confirmed that no such policy is in effect. The situation described by Suda didn’t not occur.
NetEase has actively engaged with AI technology in game development for years. At GDC 2022, NetEase hosted multiple sessions focused on applying AI within games, covering topics like AI-assisted animation systems and reinforcement learning for game testing.
These initiatives aimed to streamline development workflows and improve asset production using machine learning techniques.
Pior to this NetEase announced plans to use AI dialogue systems into its games and they started this with Where Winds Meet and Justice Online Mobile aka Ni Shui Han.
Players are able to engage in dynamic conversations with NPCs, with AI generated original dialogue and character reactions based on player input rather then scripted dialogue systems.
NetEase is also exploring generative AI for procedural generation, quest design, and character customization options. The company is deep into AI so it never made sense that it would shut down its AI plans. No matter how players feel about AI it seems some publishers have their hearts set on GenAI.
