Elon Musk has announced plans to create an AI-driven game studio under his company xAI, aiming to "make games great again" by combating what he sees as the "woke" elements in the gaming industry. As a gamer himself, Musk is frustrated by what he believes is the ideological capture of developers and journalists. However, the concept of an AI game studio raises questions about its feasibility, especially given Musk's history of ambitious ideas that haven't always materialized. While AI has made significant strides in various fields, its use in gaming, particularly in areas like art and storytelling, has faced resistance from both players and developers.
The project also seems contradictory, as Musk criticizes big corporations owning game studios, despite being one of the wealthiest individuals in the world. xAI recently raised $6 billion, and its valuation is close to $40 billion—comparable to the market cap of Electronic Arts. Musk’s studio would essentially be another large corporate entity.
Musk’s gaming interests include titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Diablo 4, both of which are complex AAA games requiring years of development. With little experience in game development, creating something of that scale under an AI-centric approach would be challenging. Moreover, it's unclear what a "not woke" game would look like, as this term is often subjective.
Ultimately, it’s uncertain whether Musk’s plans will come to fruition. As with many of his ideas, it's hard to tell whether this is a serious venture or just another of his bold musings. The creation of a valuable AI-driven game studio remains a big challenge.