The impact of generative artificial intelligence in game development : a scoping review

Abstract

This thesis presents a scoping review of 61 publications to investigate the potential of Generative Artificial Intelligence for game development, providing researchers and developers with a thorough understanding of current applications while suggesting emerging trends and untapped areas. There is a considered application of GenAI in 3 stages of game development, which are: pre-production, production, and post-production. The findings of the research reveals that while GenAI significantly enhances efficiency and creativity in pre-production and production, its adoption in post-production remains limited due to challenges in automation and human oversight. This study offers future research directions based on insights gained in each development stage and provides an overview of creative GenAI use in game design, development and deployment, with the potential to improve game production and player experiences. The results contribute to a deeper understanding of how GenAI is reshaping game development, emphasizing both its transformative capabilities and the need for further refinement in areas such as narrative coherence and ethical implementation.