AI in Game Development
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Evening Reading - October 23, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers a variety of gaming news, including reviews for Tape To Tape and Village in the Shade, and mentions of upcoming titles like Gears of War: E-Day and Palworld. Shigeru Miyamoto received Japan's Order of Culture and commented on AI's role in game design. There are also reports of Arkane Studios potentially facing closure and Helen Chiang's departure from Xbox.
Sims Competitor InZoi Deletes “Uncomfortable” Post After Fan Pushback
Krafton has removed a controversial post from the official InZoi X account after users found it disturbing and suggestive of pedophilia. The post, intended to showcase playground improvements and promote the upcoming Celebrity DLC, was criticized for its tone. This incident follows earlier concerns about the game's early access period and AI usage, and comes as EA faces scrutiny for layoffs and pausing Sims projects.
Rideshare Stimulator’s Biggest Problem Isn’t AI, It’s That The Game Just Isn’t Very Good
Rideshare Stimulator, developed by Saber Interactive, faces significant criticism not just for its controversial use of AI and allegations from a former writer, but more fundamentally for its lack of enjoyable gameplay. The simulation struggles to balance realistic job maintenance with engaging gameplay loops, and issues with AI-generated voice acting and frustrating mission design detract from the experience.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 AGA - An AI Sonic 2 port for Amiga AGA via EAB moderator Cody Jarrett
Cody Jarrett, an EAB moderator, has successfully ported Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to the Amiga AGA platform. This impressive conversion was achieved using Anthropic's AI, Claude, to translate the original game logic into C code, marking a novel approach to retro game development. The port requires 4MB of Fast RAM and 2MB of Chip RAM, utilizing the Amiga's hardware features for graphics and sound.
Halo 3 Looks Like It Could Come To Browsers Via Xbox Labs
Xbox chief technology officer Scott Van Vliet posted a video showing Halo 3 booting up within the Microsoft Edge web browser, hinting at potential browser-based gaming through Xbox Labs. This development follows a trend of older games being ported to browsers and suggests a future where Xbox 360 titles could be playable via web interfaces, potentially with cloud saves and customizable dashboards.
Pool of Radiance - SSI's legendary RPG comes to the Atari ST (AI) and expanded Sega Mega Drive
The legendary RPG Pool of Radiance has been revived and ported to the Atari ST and Sega Mega Drive, utilizing modern AI tools and hardware workarounds. The Atari ST version was developed by cb-fgc by modifying the sequel's code, while the Sega Mega Drive version by DoubleDragon.org allows play via a joypad and uses a specialized ROM write mode for memory expansion.
"Thank you, Hades" - Evil Empire on indie game discovery, how Steam early access has changed, and the rise of AI tools
Evil Empire's CEO Thomas Pfeiffer and Head of Business Ben Laulan discuss the studio's growth from supporting Dead Cells to developing Castlevania: Belmont's Curse and The Rogue Prince of Persia. They highlight the success of their Triple-i Initiative for indie game discovery and share insights on collaborations with larger publishers. The pair also express concerns about the impact of AI on the creative process and the meaning of game development.
Linux kernel drops AI-contribution disclosure rule, as Linus Torvalds says banning the tech would be 'utterly…
The Linux kernel has removed a rule requiring contributors to disclose the use of AI tools in code creation. Lead maintainer Linus Torvalds argued that such disclosure provides no real value and that the focus should be on the quality of the code itself, not the tools used to create it. This change reflects the ongoing discussion within the open-source community about integrating AI into development.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening's Nintendo Switch remake now has a PC port if you can stomach an…
A PC port of the Nintendo Switch remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening has been created using AI, sparking controversy within the gaming community. While the developer claims it was necessary for their skill level, Nintendo's stance against AI and unofficial ports raises concerns about potential legal action.
Mini-MMO Eldegarde claims there is ‘a future for the game’ including peer-to-peer online play
The mini-MMO Eldegarde, previously announced to be sunsetting, may have a future thanks to developer Notorious Studios CEO Chris Kaleiki. He shared plans to bring the game back online with peer-to-peer servers, potentially within months, and will utilize AI to aid development.
Introducing XBOX LABS
Microsoft has announced the formation of Xbox Labs, a new initiative focused on exploring emerging technologies and their potential impact on gaming. Led by Scott, the group will investigate areas like AI, cloud gaming, and game preservation, aiming to make games more accessible and empower players as creators.
Games Inbox: Which 2026 video game has the best melee combat?
Readers discuss which upcoming games will feature the best melee combat, with Onimusha: Way Of The Sword and Nioh 3 being highlighted. The discussion also touches on the controversial Grand Theft Auto 6 leaker, issues with Amazon's game delivery, the pricing of live service cosmetics, and the potential for dormant game franchises to be revived.
The OG Crash Team Racing for PS1 just arrived on PC, but it's sadly yet another recomp spoiled by AI
A new PC port of the original Crash Team Racing, titled Crash Team Racing: Turbocharged, has been released using decompilation techniques. However, the article expresses disappointment as the developer, Camzie99, confirmed the use of AI, specifically Large Language Models, in its creation, which the author views as a negative development despite the port's enhanced features like 4K resolution and higher frame rates.
NYBBLE & NIBBLE - An impressive AI Amiga game, that isn't actually AI Slop
NYBBLE & NIBBLE, a new Commodore Amiga port of the original Commodore 64 adventure, has been released by Gaboo Arts Entertainment. The game features reworked graphics, custom Amiga music, and advanced lighting effects, running on standard OCS Amigas with 1MB of RAM. It is praised for its modern indie game polish and inventive use of AI-assisted development.
Google Playground Wants Everyone To Make AI Games, And Maybe Everyone Shouldn’t
Google has launched Playground, an experimental, browser-based platform designed to democratize game creation using AI, requiring no coding experience. While it aims to lower barriers and compete with platforms like Roblox, the initial rollout is described as underwhelming, with misleading game art and rudimentary gameplay experiences in many titles, though some like Steampunk Match show promise.
Zelda and Banjo PC port devs slam new vibe-coded Banjo-Tooie recompilation: "Throwing AI at it is just…
Developers behind fan-made PC ports of classic Nintendo 64 games like The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask and Banjo-Kazooie are criticizing a new AI-generated recompilation of Banjo-Tooie. They argue that using AI for such projects is disrespectful to the original developers and the community's efforts, especially when they had plans for their own human-led ports.
"Keep GenAI the f*ck away from MediEvil" - My favorite PS1 creepy comedy caper now has a PC recomp, and…
A PC recompilation project for the classic PlayStation 1 game MediEvil has been released, notably developed entirely by human hands and explicitly rejecting the use of AI. The project adds modern features like widescreen support and improved performance, with the original co-creator Jay Wilson strongly advocating against AI involvement in game development.
Crimson Desert's first expansion, Charting the Unknown, delayed so Pearl Abyss get more time to polish and stabilise the red pudding
Pearl Abyss has delayed the first expansion for Crimson Desert, "Charting the Unknown," by two weeks to October 29th to allow for further polishing and stabilization. The studio cited the need for additional development time to ensure a better gameplay experience. The article also touches on the use of generative AI in asset creation and previous issues with its implementation.
Housemarque and Bithell Games join Game Republic New Horizons speaker lineup, Nintendo to host open session for developers and publishers
Game Republic New Horizons has announced additional speakers for its upcoming event, including Housemarque VFX lead Robbert Groenendijk and Bithell Games director Mike Bithell. Nintendo will also host an open session for developers and publishers to discuss working with the company. The event will feature keynotes and panels on various aspects of game development, investment, and industry trends.
Games Inbox: Are you still an Xbox fan?
Readers express deep concern over recent layoffs at Xbox and the perceived decline of the brand's relevance and developer support. While some praise Capcom's successful year and positive employee treatment, others question Microsoft's strategy and the future of its studios.
