Picture this: you’re in the middle of your favorite RPG, standing on the edge of a mysterious forest. The world around you feels familiar, but as you step into the trees, something incredible happens. The entire game begins to shift, changing based on everything you’ve done so far—your decisions, your journey, even the friends you’ve made. The forest feels alive, different from anything you’ve seen before.

Suddenly, an old traveler steps out of the shadows, his voice low and mysterious: “There’s an artifact hidden in these woods. Only you can find it.” But here’s the twist—this isn’t some pre-scripted quest. The entire event is generated in real-time by the game’s AI, tailored just for you! The choices you’ve made up to this point have shaped this moment, and no one else playing the game will experience the same thing.

Meanwhile, your friend might be miles away, wandering through a vast desert and encountering totally different characters. Every detail—the creatures, the landscape, the rewards—adapts to you. It’s like the game is reading your mind, making each playthrough feel fresh, exciting, and completely unique.

Welcome to the world of procedural content generation (PCG), powered by AI. This is the future of gaming—personalized, dynamic, and full of surprises, where no two adventures are the same!

the pioneers of this new world

Who’s behind this amazing shift? Some of the biggest names in the gaming world are diving deep into AI-driven content. Sure, we’ve seen procedural generation before—Minecraft’s endless landscapes and No Man’s Sky’s infinite planets are prime examples. But adding AI into the mix takes it to a whole new level, especially when it comes to storytelling.

Ubisoft is leading the charge. They’ve been playing around with AI for years through their R&D division, Ubisoft La Forge, and it’s all about to pay off. Imagine Assassin’s Creed where side quests aren’t just “go here, do that” but dynamically change based on your choices and play style. One moment you might be preventing an assassination, and the next, you’re caught in a political conspiracy that feels personal and unique to your story. How cool is that?

Ubisoft is making big investments in AI tech—likely around €50-100 million annually—with 200-300 employees dedicated to exploring how AI can transform gameplay. Their future games, like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, will increasingly use this technology to craft even richer, more personalized worlds.

Then there’s CD Projekt Red, the geniuses behind The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077. They’ve hinted at pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in their future games. Could you imagine a Witcher world where every monster hunt is different, evolving based on how you’ve played so far? You could be tracking a beast that behaves one way for you and completely differently for someone else—it’s wild!

CD Projekt Red is also making bold moves, likely investing about €20-30 million annually into AI research, with around 50-100 people working on AI and procedural content projects. Their future expansions for Cyberpunk 2077 and new Witcher titles could be some of the first to offer quests shaped entirely by your choices.

And don’t forget Bethesda, with their new space epic Starfield. We already know they’re using procedural generation for planets, but what if they took it even further? Think about a universe where not only are the planets unique, but the stories and characters on them are, too. You could visit the same world as a friend but have a totally different experience, with different quests and events unfolding just for you.

Thanks to their backing from Microsoft, Bethesda is in a powerful position. They’re likely investing €50-100 million annually into AI and procedural generation, with 150-200 people working specifically on pushing the boundaries of what AI can do. Future games like The Elder Scrolls VI could bring procedurally generated quests to the forefront.

Tencent, the giant behind League of Legends and Fortnite, is another key player in this space. They have the resources to take AI innovation to a whole new level. Imagine Fortnite with dynamic, ever-changing battle royales where no two matches are the same. You drop into the game and, surprise! There’s a new event happening, and it’s tailored to how you’ve played before. Suddenly, every match is a fresh adventure.

Tencent’s investments are enormous—they’re likely dedicating €200-300 million annually across various projects, with 500-1,000 employees focusing on AI technologies. With such vast resources, Tencent is primed to make AI-driven content a staple in games like Fortnite and League of Legends.

what’s coming soon

So, when can we start seeing this magic in action? You won’t have to wait long!

By 2025, Ubisoft will probably roll out AI-powered quests in Assassin’s Creed DLCs or spin-offs. Get ready for side missions that adapt to your playthrough and feel like they’re written just for you.

For fans of Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher, CD Projekt Red might bring us some AI-generated DLC as early as 2024. Imagine walking through Night City, where every alley holds a new, unpredictable encounter. Or how about diving back into The Witcher’s world, where each monster hunt feels personal, and every town has new secrets for you to discover.

And Starfield? Bethesda’s already promising procedural planets, but by 2025, we could see AI-driven stories and characters woven into those worlds. Each time you land on a planet, it could feel like you’re stepping into a brand-new adventure, crafted just for you.

And don’t forget about Fortnite! Tencent and Epic Games could be rolling out AI-powered events as soon as 2024. Every drop into the game could bring a whole new challenge, mission, or quest, keeping things fresh and exciting.

the world is alive!

Fast forward to 2030, and things get really mind-blowing. We’re talking entire game worlds that evolve in real-time, reacting to your every decision. Forget static, pre-programmed stories—this will be a world that feels truly alive. You’ll shape it as much as it shapes you.

Imagine playing an open-world RPG where the plot, characters, and quests are unique to you—crafted dynamically by AI based on how you’ve played, the choices you’ve made, and even the way you like to approach challenges. No two players will ever have the same adventure, and your world will change with you, creating a game that never runs out of surprises.

We’re at the beginning of this exciting journey, and the possibilities are endless. AI is transforming games from static experiences into dynamic, ever-changing worlds where your decisions truly matter. The future of gaming is going to be wild, and we can’t wait to jump in!