Last March, Square Enix announced a partnership with Google to use Gemini AI to create an AI companion in the MMORPG Dragon Quest X. It will be able to comment on information, guide the player, or even provide hints regarding a quest.
A prospect that delights Yuji Horii, the creator of the Dragon Quest franchise. According to him, this technology will strengthen the relationship between the user and their virtual companions who will accompany them throughout their epic journey. Horii even believes that a real friendship could blossom thanks to this process.
« When I created Dragon Quest, I wanted the villagers’ dialogues to sound as natural as possible. Now that AI can respond, I think we can make them even more human. However, simply replacing the villagers with AI wouldn’t be fun […]
I think it’s wonderful that [Slime] can also listen to players’ concerns with empathy and even discuss topics unrelated to the game. I’d like to explore ways for AI characters to accompany players as support companions, which could then be expanded to other series.
AI-controlled characters could become a gateway for beginners to learn how to play, and even after leaving the game, players might consider them friends. »
Finally, Yuji Horii believes that players will feel less « ridiculous » about the idea of speaking directly to a character in a game rather than to a traditional AI like Gemini or ChatGPT. According to him, « if it’s a game character, the barrier is lower and people may find it easier to talk about various topics ».
This is an interesting development in gaming! The idea of AI companions as true friends could really enhance the player experience. It’s exciting to see how technology is evolving in the gaming world.
enhance the gaming experience by providing personalized interactions. It’s fascinating to think about how these companions might learn from players’ choices and adapt over time, making each gaming journey unique. I wonder how this technology will evolve in future titles!