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[LordOfChaos]

Legendary Mario creator on AI: Nintendo is “going the opposite direction”

Switch-maker shows little interest in jumping on the latest industry bandwagon.

arstechnica.com

Full profile: https://archive.ph/9cY6N

In the last few years, large swaths of the game industry have embraced generative AI, both on the development side and for new user-generated content tools. But legendary Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto says his company "would rather go in a different direction" when it comes to AI technology.
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Miyamoto said this wasn't just contrarianism on Nintendo's part. “It might seem like we are just going the opposite direction for the sake of going in the opposite direction, but it really is trying to find what makes Nintendo special,” Miyamoto said. “There is a lot of talk about AI, for example. When that happens, everyone starts to go in the same direction, but that is where Nintendo would rather go in a different direction.”

Miyamoto's statement comes a few months after a more noncommittal position Nintendo President Shintaro Furukawa took in a July investor Q&A. "Generative AI, which is becoming a big topic recently, can be used in creative ways, but we recognize that it may also raise issues with intellectual property rights," Furukawa said at the time.

Further Reading​

Microsoft Copilot will watch you play Minecraft, tell you what you’re doing wrong
Ignoring generative AI would definitely point Nintendo in a "different direction" from many major gaming companies. Electronic Arts' recent Investor Day was littered with talk of algorithmic AI and its potential to make game development more efficient. Microsoft, which has heavily invested in OpenAI, has pledged to integrate its Copilot chatbots into games like Minecraft to offer conversational tips to players. And Nvidia is busy talking up the potential for its ACE generative AI model to power completely unscripted in-game NPCs.
Nintendo, on the other hand, has often been hesitant to jump on various tech industry bandwagons. While Nintendo said it was "looking into" virtual reality back in 2016, it quickly became clear the company wasn't interested in following Sony into the VR space (gimmicky cardboard Labo VR notwithstanding).

Isn't the opposite of Artificial Intelligence, Natural Stupidity?

 

[RoadHazard]

May he live forever.

 

[nnytk]

It's a challenging path, to choose to become or grow into an artist (music, video, illustration, design, writing, art,...). Generative AI is just another new obstacle for "the artist" - one that uses existing art without any form of permission AND tries to replace the work an artist would do. And a lot of the time it generates "slop".

As an artist myself I can only applaud Nintendo for this. Keep soul alive, keep vision alive, keep passion alive, artistry, talent, dreams. And even taking into account how generative AI could be used as a tool, it does too much damage to an already struggling part of our society, the talented and creative minds we should value and protect.

 

[WhiteWaterM00se]

I think they mean, they will rely on developers to make most of the content, and I also suspect Nintendo will try to sell privacy ala Apple.

Except Apple is utilizing AI. Nintendo may pivot and say, “no one is watching you game at Nintendo!” “No one is watching your kid’s game”. I actually wonder if Nintendo will pivot away (AGAIN) from voice chat in the Switch 2 as well.

 

[Magic Carpet]

The Opposite direction? AD?
Artificial Dumbness?

 

[Punished Miku]

"Generative AI, which is becoming a big topic recently, can be used in creative ways, but we recognize that it may also raise issues with intellectual property rights," Furukawa said at the time.

What he means is that they will be able to sue half the population in 10 years, and win.

 

[Three]

Good

 

[Azelover]

It's probably gonna be a mix. They can't go entirely without AI, but relying on real artists for certain aspects of the games is the right way to go for now.

AI will evolve a lot, but right now its creations are fairly generic. You can tell very quickly if something is AI created. It's a great opportunity to go the other way and stand out.

 

[Zacfoldor]

OMG does he mean hand crafted bespoke artisanal content? Because if so, so much love to this guy. Wow. What a man. We don't deserve him.

This so reminds me of the "Official PlayStation Used Game Instructional Video" on youtube, lol.

 

[bender]

The Opposite direction? AD?
Artificial Dumbness?

 

[K' Dash]

The Opposite direction? AD?
Artificial Dumbness?

If you ever wondered what below average IQ looks like, here you go.

 

[Magic Carpet]

If you ever wondered what below average IQ looks like, here you go.

Damn! Gaf goin hard today.

 

[bender]

Damn! Gaf goin hard today.

We are just being natural.

 

[kevm3]

Good for them. Nintendo has done their own thing forever and have come out successful. Stopped chasing power in their consoles and the Switch sold gangbusters.

 

[Kuranghi]

I own that exact black blazer, the buttons are the same and everything. I bought it for around £25 on Amazon. Dun dun dunnnnn. Can this tell us anything? Apart from that both of us have impecable style ofc. Maybe the whole article is a troll and was created with AI, including the images.

The prompt read: "Portrait of Miyamoto, creator of Mario, standing with his hands placed behind his back looking a big disgusted and/or smug while wearing a stylish but affordable blazer that was bought from a large e-commerce website"

 

[Fake]

Protect this man.

 

[Barakov]

The Opposite direction? AD?
Artificial Dumbness?

 

[cireza]

So like with their hardware, they are going in the opposite direction.

Next Switch will be as powerful as the Gamecube.

 

[a'la mode]

Props to Nintendo, it's the right direction to take. Hire creatives to do the work. Generative AI doesn't create, it derives and steals. There wouldn't even be "generative AI" if there weren't creatives to create the content for it to steal.

 

[LMJ]

Sweet Lord I am so tired of the black and white mentality of so many people, AI can be a great tool as long as it's not used for everything.

imagine using a simple AI for enemy movement in attack so that they don't just fall into the simple patterns that so many games do. Imagine being able to talk in an RPG and have different conversations almost every single time with NPCs.

Don't get me wrong there will be growth hiccups here and there, But ultimately they can be ironed out as time moves along.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Good. Heavily AI assisted games in the design/artist portion will stand out like a sore thumb. Watch.

 

[MacReady13]

May Miyamoto and his philosophy at Nintendo live forever. And some people question why many of us remain Nintendo fans up to this day... They do their own thing and it resonates with many millions of us.

 

[Puscifer]

If you ever wondered what below average IQ looks like, here you go.

No kidding. Several of these post have to be trolling.

You know damn well he's saying instead of leaning on AI they're going to stay the course of humans crafting things.

 

[A.Romero]

I'm not a big fan of their games but I respect that they are looking for their own path.

Let's hope it doesn't turn out to be like when they forfeited CD's in favour of cartridges.

 

[Investor9872]

Just as long as DLSS is in the Switch 2, I don't mind Nintendo trying to find that special sauce, though Nintendo's record of having a successful new console after a hit is quite abysmal!

 

[Germuso]

Against the future, sure bro.

And you wont charge for online.

 

[FStubbs]

His statement doesn't say that aren't using AI. They just don't want to use it for things they think a lot of others are using it for.

 

[chromhound]

Nintendo will build AI lawyers that scan any games that infringing their stuff

 

[proandrad]

What this really means, Nintendo is waiting for everyone else to figure out how to fully exploit AI for money, before they jump in.

 

[chokotoureiki]

Missed opportunity. Before we know it, companies that will be utlilizing this tech will be so ahead of the curve that it will take years for Nintendo to play catch up. This is the same company that was too stubburn to jump in HD, "saying graphics have hit a plataeu" which was factually false but when everyone else did, Nintendo backpedaled and ate their words. Sometimes being different for the sake of being different is plain stupid.

 

[Fahdis]

Remember when Crazy Ken was also a prophet around the launch of PS3 Era until the reveal. Yea, Miyamoto might be heading there. Or perhaps he's a genius. So was Ken though. Time will decide.

 

[Klosshufvud]

Missed opportunity. Before we know it, companies that will be utlilizing this tech will be so ahead of the curve that it will take years for Nintendo to play catch up. This is the same company that was too stubburn to jump in HD, "saying graphics have hit a plataeu" which was factually false but when everyone else did, Nintendo backpedaled and ate their words. Sometimes being different for the sake of being different is plain stupid.

Most of their Switch games are sub HD still so in a way they were right.

AI is stupid. It has no future in creative fields. It will replace some poor artists but never an artist worthy his salary.

 

[newtypepilot]

thanks to the stupid AI hype, there is a big misconception on what these kind of tools are good for. These tools need a lot of training data, otherwise it can only output trash. It can be good for some repetitive tasks. It can't create whole scenes with just single button despite what some videos want you to believe.

Besides, procedurally generated assets have been a thing.

 

[Astray]

Good. Heavily AI assisted games in the design/artist portion will stand out like a sore thumb. Watch.

The 1st ones already came out: The Finals has AI-generated announcer voiceovers.

Fairgame$ has some sort of AI-gen assets focus too.

 

[Lumpyoatmeal]

Legendary Mario creator on AI: Nintendo is “going the opposite direction”

Switch-maker shows little interest in jumping on the latest industry bandwagon.

arstechnica.com

Full profile: https://archive.ph/9cY6N

Isn't the opposite of Artificial Intelligence, Natural Stupidity?

The opposite side is using your common sense.

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

There was this thread recently that asked why people like Nintendo. If that is not the best reason, I don't know what is.

 

[Lumpyoatmeal]

Good. Heavily AI assisted games in the design/artist portion will stand out like a sore thumb. Watch.

Shit is a straight fad. The real shit will always rise to the top.

 

[FoxMcChief]

Good. Heavily AI assisted games in the design/artist portion will stand out like a sore thumb. Watch.

I disagree. I think heavily AI-assisted games will be indistinguishable from no AI-assisted games by the use of the following strategies:

1. **Blend AI with Human Creativity**: Use AI as a tool to complement human creativity rather than replace it. Designers and artists can leverage AI for repetitive tasks, generating variations, or brainstorming ideas, while retaining the final decision-making and creative control.

2. **Set Design Parameters**: Establish clear guidelines and parameters for AI-generated content. This helps ensure that the output aligns with the game's overall aesthetic and narrative style.

3. **Iterative Feedback Loops**: Implement regular feedback sessions where human designers review and refine AI-generated content. This helps maintain a cohesive vision and allows for adjustments based on artistic intent.

4. **Style Transfer and Customization**: Utilize AI to apply specific artistic styles to generated content. Customizing the output to match the desired visual style can help integrate AI contributions seamlessly into the game.

5. **Human Touch in Finalization**: Ensure that final assets undergo a human touch for polishing. Artists can add unique details, textures, and adjustments that infuse personality and character into the AI-generated elements.

6. **Diverse Input Data**: Train AI models on diverse datasets that reflect the desired styles and themes of the game. This reduces the likelihood of generic or overly recognizable outputs.

7. **Focus on Narrative Consistency**: Ensure that AI-generated content supports the game's narrative and emotional tone. Consistency in story and character development helps maintain immersion.

8. **Experimentation and Playtesting**: Regularly test the AI-assisted designs with target audiences. Gather feedback to understand how players perceive the art and design, making adjustments as necessary.

By thoughtfully incorporating AI into the design and artistic processes, game developers can create a harmonious blend of technology and creativity that enhances the overall experience without feeling out of place.

 

[midnightAI]

So they are removing AI from their games completely? Huh, so their NPC's are going to just stay still or only follow a strict path? Ok, their choice I guess

 

[6502]

AI will never beat natural talent.

 

[LordOcidax]

So they are removing AI from their games completely? Huh, so their NPC's are going to just stay still or only follow a strict path? Ok, their choice I guess

 

[hinch7]

Well yeah, they've been doing their own thing for decades and provided so many millions of users countless amount of entertainment. No reason to alter from that course.

The gaming industry outside a few companies though may need to innovate a bit more to stay relevant.

 

[Closer]

Nintendo is gonna release the first I∀ tools of the industry.

 

[EverydayBeast]

AI is getting a lot of looks, a lot of what Nintendo does is authentic.

 

[sendit]

Someone needs to tell him his developers (the ones who push code) are 100% using AI.

 

[March Climber]

 

[IbizaPocholo]

Opinion - Game Dev - Shigeru Miyamoto on AI: ‘Nintendo Would Rather Go in a Different Direction‘

https://www.ign.com/articles/shigeru-miyamoto-on-ai-nintendo-would-rather-go-in-a-different-direction In an interview with The New York Times, Miyamoto brought up AI himself as an example of something where Nintendo would rather do things differently than its peers. “It might seem like we are...

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