Artificial Intelligence
Ongoing coverage on Artificial Intelligence.
Latest coverage
"The numbers don't feel real" say 99 Nights in the Forest developers of their Roblox success
The developers behind the massively successful Roblox game '99 Nights in the Forest' discuss their unexpected journey and the surreal numbers behind their creation, which has garnered 29.5 billion visits. The team, consisting of Matt Hufton, Cameron Angland, and Alec Kieft, remains grounded despite the game's success, a movie adaptation, and its recent addition to Fortnite, emphasizing their collaborative process and preference for remaining anonymous.
Red Kite - Free Online Browser Game
Red Kite is a free-to-play action browser game where players assume the role of a boyfriend investigating his girlfriend Enya's disappearance within the pharmaceutical conglomerate NeoTerra. The game's narrative involves uncovering NeoTerra's sinister AI research and human brain-to-machine transfers orchestrated by Dr. Mario Retzko, under the influence of the Minwar family.
Microsoft (MSFT) CCO Frank X. Shaw to leave company after over 17 years
Microsoft Chief Communications Officer Frank X. Shaw will be leaving the company at the end of 2026 after more than 17 years of service. Shaw announced his departure on LinkedIn, thanking the company and its fans. His exit marks another veteran leaving a prominent role in the tech industry.
Space Marine 2 dev says its games are so profitable in part because they're made outside of the US, and the company has "no real development in North America any more"
Saber Interactive's Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits attributes the profitability of games like Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 partly to their development outside of North America, citing significantly lower costs. The company has reduced its North American development operations, focusing instead on Europe where salaries are lower. Willits also contrasted the development cost and sales of Space Marine 2 with a major North American studio's recent release, highlighting that high budgets are not always necessary for success.
Genshin Impact dev HoYoverse wins $112,000 in court after AI company stole 63 of its characters' voices
HoYoverse has been awarded approximately $112,000 in a Shanghai court after an unnamed AI service provider was found to have wrongfully reproduced 63 Genshin Impact characters' voices and used modified character images to promote its AI voice packs. The court ruled this constituted copyright infringement and unjust competition, ordering the AI company to cease its infringing behaviors. The AI company has withdrawn its appeal, making the payment inevitable.
All the announcements from Roblox Developers Conference 2026, including AI, Robux changes, and browser support
Roblox outlined significant updates at its Developers Conference 2026, focusing on AI integration, improved chat features with AI-powered speech-to-text and emojis, and browser-based play. The platform will also introduce offline game modes and standalone apps, alongside advancements in graphics and rendering. New AI tools aim to generate entire games from prompts, enhance character interactions, and automate testing, though their reception is uncertain. Business changes include the rollout of Roblox Wallet for automatic developer profit collection and the introduction of Roblox Cards for spending earnings in the real world.
ChatGPT employee’s vibecoded Old School RuneScape ripoff lived for three days before a legal takedown
A game called Elderwood, created by a ChatGPT employee, was taken down by Jagex after only three days of operation due to copyright infringement concerns. The game, which was an "AI vibecoded" ripoff of Old School RuneScape, was developed quickly and cheaply using AI tools. The swift shutdown was met with celebration by the RuneScape community.
"The more aroused the fly is the harder it tries to shoot" - Google's fully mapped fly brain is now playing Doom, Beat Saber, and more
Google's fully mapped male fruit fly brain has been engineered to play video games like Doom and Beat Saber. An engineer trained the simulated fly brain to play Doom, with another modder getting it to play Beat Saber and other shooters. Google stated this is a significant step in neuroscience research.
State of the Unions: the rise of unionisation in games workplaces
The video games industry is experiencing a significant rise in unionization as workers seek better labor rights and protections against harsh working conditions. Unions like SAG-AFTRA, ZeniMax workers, and various groups at major studios have successfully advocated for improved pay, AI protections, and remote work policies. Representatives from IWGB, Solidaires Informatique, and the Polish Gamedev Workers Union highlight global progress and ongoing challenges, emphasizing the growing power of collective bargaining.
'Defying common wisdom', people have been buying more high-end graphics cards despite rising prices, with 12.5…
Despite rising prices and Nvidia's focus on data centers, the company maintains a dominant 90% share of the consumer graphics card market. The overall PC-based graphics add-in board market saw a 10% increase in shipments quarter-over-quarter, reaching 12.5 million units, a trend attributed to consumers buying before further price hikes driven by geopolitical events.
Ex-Blizzard employee has 'vibe' coded a new game engine with backing from AMD: 'We're developing 93x…
Former Blizzard employee Mark Kern has developed a new game engine called Kun-Zhi, which he claims was built using AI and is 93x faster than Unreal Engine. The engine, backed by AMD and Razer, is intended to be AI-first and will be released to the public. Kern, who previously worked on World of Warcraft and founded Red 5 Studios, believes this approach significantly speeds up development.
GTA 6 Is Going To Be Huge. So Why Is Take-Two’s Stock Having Such A Bad Year?
Despite immense hype for Grand Theft Auto 6, Take-Two Interactive's stock has declined significantly over the past year. Factors contributing to this include investor concerns over AI technology, a high price-to-earnings ratio, and the impact of leaks, which have rattled confidence in the company's control over its flagship product. While analysts remain largely bullish on the stock's long-term potential, citing the expected success of GTA 6 and its online component, the market's short-term reaction has been negative.
Evening Reading - September 10, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers recent game reviews including Marvel's Wolverine and NBA 2K27, alongside industry news such as Nintendo's Customer Appreciation Sale and a potential shift in PlayStation's interest in Kojima Productions. The article also touches on AI concerns and the enduring popularity of the Kirby series.
VisionQuest showrunner says Ultron appearing in human form in the Marvel show isn't "a budget thing":…
VisionQuest showrunner Terry Matalas explains that Ultron appearing in human form in the new Disney Plus show is a creative choice focused on the chemistry between actors James Spader and Paul Bettany, rather than a budget limitation. Matalas emphasizes the importance of Spader's performance and the father-son dynamic, while assuring viewers that plenty of robot action will still be present.
Electronic Arts admits to using AI voices in NHL 27: 'This process allows us to bring more variety to the…
Electronic Arts has confirmed the use of AI voice technology in NHL 27, stating it will increase variety and allow for quicker reactions to game changes. This follows reports from sportscaster John Buccigross, whose voice was used as an example. EA emphasized that the AI implementation was done with the full consent and collaboration of Buccigross and Darren Pang.
Quiz: Hur bra är du på att överleva?
This article celebrates the release of Valheim 1.0 with a quiz testing players' knowledge of survival and crafting games. It asks how well users can gather resources, build bases, and stay alive, highlighting common pitfalls in the genre. The quiz requires users to log in to participate.
Themes Explored Through Horror in BrokenLore: Don’t Lie
Serafini Productions has released BrokenLore: Don't Lie on Xbox Series X|S and PC, a Japanese psychological horror game exploring themes of trauma, isolation, and social issues through the lens of hikikomori and AI companionship. The game is part of a larger narrative universe, with Don't Lie focusing on the character Junko and her struggle with a fractured reality.
TSMC continues to rake it in from the 'multi-year AI megatrend,' making a record-breaking $16.35 billion in…
TSMC reported record-breaking revenue for August, totaling $16.35 billion USD, driven by robust demand for AI-related semiconductors. The company's CEO highlighted the ongoing AI megatrend as a key driver for leading-edge silicon needs. This surge continues a trend of consecutive record gains, with TSMC holding a dominant market share in semiconductor foundries.
ChatGPT employee makes a "RuneScape clone," immediately gets slapped by Jagex lawyers, then acts like he's leaving some great legacy behind in a goodbye post surely written by AI
Jagex, the developer of RuneScape, has issued a legal notice to shut down Elderwood, a game created by ChatGPT employee Rohan Varma that was openly described as a RuneScape clone. The game has since been discontinued, with Varma attributing the closure to the legal action. The article highlights the blatant copying of RuneScape's assets and mechanics, and the negative reception from the RuneScape community.
Saber Interactive's chief creative officer says "We've never replaced anybody with AI"
Saber Interactive's Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits stated that the company has not replaced any employees with AI, despite a public dispute involving former writer Stella Sacco. While experimenting with AI tools for features like voice generation and optional game modes in 'Rideshare Stimulator', Willits emphasized that core game content is human-written and that the company is exploring AI's potential without widespread integration into production pipelines.
