Masahiro Sakurai, creator of Super Smash Bros., recently discussed the development of AI in gaming. He believes that while AI will continue to increase the number of games, most mass-produced titles may struggle to be profitable, and original styles cannot be replaced by AI.
Masahiro Sakurai mentioned that the number of games on Steam has increased from 275 in 2010 to approximately 19,000. As supply continues to expand, it becomes difficult for players to fully understand all available titles; furthermore, since a large number of low-quality games merely replicate existing systems, they may fail to generate sufficient revenue.
He cited simple puzzle concepts such as organizing supermarket goods, installing screws, and finding a needle in a haystack as examples, believing that these patterns are easy for AI to imitate. However, in terms of originality, AI can only reference things that have already appeared.
Sakurai stated that while AI might be able to learn the atmosphere of games like Ico or Shadow of the Colossus and generate content similar to Fumito Ueda's existing works, it cannot replicate in advance the artistic style he will create in the future.
In Sakurai's view, as mass-produced and low-quality content continues to increase, creators who can carve out their own path and develop a unique flavor will become more important. These views represent his personal judgments on AI's imitation capabilities, originality, and commercial sustainability, rather than definitive predictions for all AI-generated game outcomes.