How AI could change your game

A Sony executive showed a demo of how artificial intelligence could be incorporated into games. Is this a good or bad use of technology? Also, a new trailer for the latest Silent Hill game dropped last week, and all the news from the world of gaming. Let’s go! 

AI Aloy

If you ever wanted to hold a conversation with Aloy from Sony’s Horizon series, you might think this is cool. If not, it might feel extremely creepy. 

Sony Interactive Entertainment director of software engineering Sharwin Raghoebardajal recently provided a demo of Horizon Forbidden West’s protagonist holding a conversation with a player through voice prompts during gameplay. The video was leaked to The Verge, but has since been taken down due to copyright infringement. In the video, Raghoebardajal provided an example of Aloy giving players lore and background information upon request after telling the audience this is a "glimpse of what is possible" with artificial intelligence. 

Actor Ashly Burch who voices Aloy posted her thoughts on TikTok, saying “I feel worried about this art form.” You can view the full response below, but here is a segment:

@ashly.burch

let us speak on AI aloy

♬ original sound - Ashly Burch

I feel worried not because the technology exists. Not even because game companies want to use it. Because of course they do. They always want to use technological advancements.

I just imagine a video like this coming out that does have someone’s performance attached to it. That does have someone’s voice or face or movement. And the possibility that if we lose this fight, that person would have no recourse.

Burch is referring to the SAG-AFTRA strike against video games because of AI. What do you think? Is this a feature you would like to see in games, or is it just creepy? 

A return to Silent Hill

More details about the first new Silent Hill game in 13 years were released last week. 

At their latest press release, Konami revealed more details and a new trailer for Silent Hill f, a game first announced in 2022. The game takes place in Japan in the 1960s, making it the first game to take place in that country. Check out the full trailer below.

Silent Hill f is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC, although no dates were announced. 

Side Quests (more stories worth reading)

👩‍💻 Harassment, stalkers and death threats: a day in the life of women on Twitch. 

🤖 Need help finishing a game? Microsoft is bringing its Copilot AI service to Xbox.

🇸🇦 Pokémon Go studio Niantic sold its game division to Saudi-owned Scopely for $3.5 billion. They likely also now own the location data from players of the game. 

📅 Check out everything announced for Mario Day. 

⛔ 3v3 shooter Spectre Divide will shut down along with its developer Mountaintop Studios just six months after launch.

🌠 Star Wars: Hunters is also shutting down in October.

🤝 Ubisoft is reportedly in talks with Tencent about creating a new business entity to manage its biggest games like Assassin's Creed.

🏎️ Playing Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5 will require a Microsoft account.

🏬 Industry experts predict a June launch for the Switch 2, along with a price between $400 and $500. 

🪩 A new Katamari Damacy game is coming to Apple Arcade next month. 

📅 A new Xbox handheld console could be coming this year, with their next generation of console release slated for 2027.

👦🏽 PlayStation announced plans to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the God of War franchise, including an exhibit in Los Angeles. 

🩴 Love or hate them, Crocs are coming to Fortnite.

🧟 Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann revealed details about his new game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

👍🏻 Blizzard confirmed that BlizzCon will return in 2026.

🎮 Sony banned Jonah Hill from using a PlayStation in the movie Superbad because his character was “too vile.”

📈 Round numbers: Split Fiction sold 2 million copies in its first week. 

New Releases this week:

Check out our article on 12 New Games to Play in March.

3/18: MLB The Show 25 (PlayStation, Xbox and Switch)
3/20: Assassin's Creed Shadows (PlayStation, Xbox and PC)
3/20: Xenoblade Chronicles X (Switch)
3/20: Wreckfest 2 (PC)
3/21: Bleach: Rebirth of Souls (PlayStation, Xbox and PC)

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