Mark Darrah has once again shared his perspective on the current trajectory of the AAA gaming industry. In his view, contemporary titles are inadvertently conditioning players to accept generative AI, as modern releases have become increasingly “homogeneous” and “devoid of soul.”
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Darrah observed that the market is currently saturated with derivative and excessively risk-averse projects built on familiar “templates.” He attributed this shift to ballooning production budgets, explaining that “everything is becoming indistinguishable and interchangeable.”
The industry veteran argued that astronomical development costs should be the exception rather than the benchmark. Publishers, desperate to mitigate financial risk while chasing the widest possible audience, have defaulted to a standardized design philosophy. Darrah noted that even though titles like Assassin’s Creed, Horizon, and Hogwarts Legacy are produced by different teams, they often follow the exact same structural blueprint.
“One reason players might ultimately embrace generative AI is the growing sense that many forms of media have already lost their creative essence. Commercial filters have polished away the edge, soul, and spirit of the content we consume. If that’s the case, why not just let a machine build it?” Darrah remarked. He clarified that while he personally disagrees with this path, “it may very well be what is happening right now.”
Source: iXBT.games