Game Studios Embrace AI as Sakurai Warns of a Flood of Unoriginal Games

According to the 2026 AI Adoption Report from gaming consultancy Vivrato, 94% of the 101 studio leaders interviewed reported using AI in at least one stage of game production. The findings were reported by GamesBeat following an interview with Vivrato founder Adam Boyes.

Separately, game designer Masahiro Sakurai raised concerns about AI and originality in an interview published by Denfaminico Gamer on October 16, 2026. Sakurai argued that AI could contribute to a growing number of games that imitate existing ideas and struggle to succeed commercially.

What the VAIA Report found about AI in game development

A new report from gaming consultancy Vivrato shows that AI is widely used in game development, but most studios surveyed have not fully integrated it into their workflows.

The VAIA Report 2026 is based on confidential interviews with 101 senior game studio leaders and decision-makers. The interviews took place between April and September 2026, mainly in North America and Europe. Each participant answered questions from the same 44-question guide, covering nine stages of game production, from early planning to live operations and monetisation.

According to the findings reported by GamesBeat:

• 97% of respondents said they had used AI in some form.

• 94% said AI was used in at least one stage of game production.

• 52% rated how deeply AI was integrated into their overall production pipeline at three out of ten or lower.

These findings suggest that AI use is common among the studios surveyed, but it has not yet become a deeply integrated part of production for many of them.

The report also found differences between regions. In Europe, 70% of respondents said their studios used AI for art, assets, and animation, compared with 53% in North America.

However, the findings have limitations. The study involved only 101 industry professionals, mainly from North America and Europe, and cannot be taken as representative of the entire global games industry. The interviews also relied on participants describing and rating their own AI use.

The results offer an early picture of how some game studios are adopting AI, but they do not establish how widely or deeply the technology is used across the industry as a whole.

AI use goes beyond generative tools

Vivrato CEO Adam Boyes said discussions about AI in gaming often focus on generative tools such as chatbots, image generators, and synthetic voices. However, studios also use machine learning to predict when players might stop playing and automated systems to test games. These applications serve different purposes and produce different results.

This distinction matters when interpreting the report's 94% AI adoption figure. Using AI to analyse player behaviour is different from generating game artwork or other creative content. The figure does not mean that 94% of studios use generative AI, and it does not show how much AI-generated content appears in finished games.

Sakurai warns AI could flood the games market

Masahiro Sakurai, creator of Kirby and Super Smash Bros., has warned that AI could lead to more unoriginal games that struggle to make money.

In an interview with Japanese publication Denfaminico Gamer, Sakurai discussed the growing number of game releases. He predicted that AI would increase that number further, but many of the new games could fail commercially or copy ideas from existing titles.

Sakurai also questioned whether AI could match human creativity. According to Nintendo Wire, he suggested that AI might imitate the style of games created by Fumito Ueda, known for Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, but could not predict what Ueda would create next.

His comments reflect a concern that AI could make producing games easier without necessarily making them more original.

How the two stories connect

The survey and Sakurai's warning are not contradictory. The report shows how studios currently use AI, while Sakurai raises concerns about its possible impact on game quality and originality. Studios may use AI for limited tasks even as the technology makes it easier to produce games that imitate existing titles.

Recent industry reactions also show concerns about AI use. SEGA has said it is being cautious about using AI in creative development. Meanwhile, the publisher of James Pond Legacy had to clarify its use of AI after criticism of the game's promotional material.

These examples show that AI use can raise questions about creativity and transparency, but they do not establish how widespread those concerns are across the industry.

What it means for the creative industries

For game developers, the challenge is not just using AI but creating games that stand out. If AI makes game production faster and cheaper, more titles could enter an already crowded market. As Sakurai suggests, original ideas and good game design may become even more important.

The survey also shows that widespread AI use does not necessarily mean deep integration into production. Its findings do not establish how AI will affect creative jobs in the future.

Similar questions about originality, competition and the role of human creativity are being raised in music, film and illustration. However, AI's impact may differ across these industries.

What to Watch Next

Three developments could provide a clearer picture of AI's impact on gaming: the release of the VAIA Report's full methodology, including how generative AI use was measured; reliable data on game releases and sales to assess Sakurai's predictions; and how publishers and gaming platforms respond through AI disclosure rules, content policies and game discovery systems.

For now, the survey shows widespread but limited AI integration among the studios surveyed, while Sakurai's concerns about originality and profitability remain predictions rather than proven outcomes.