Almost a quarter of the games shown at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 used artificial intelligence – the technology was found in 13 out of 55 presented projects.
A detailed analysis of materials from the two-hour event, data from game cards on Steam, and interviews with developers showed that 13 projects explicitly stated the use of AI. The technologies were used both during production and in the preparation of promotional materials.
The range of use was wide: from temporary textures, concept art, and interface icons to voice synthesis and chatbots for interacting with NPCs. Some developers stated that temporary materials, including voices and models, would be replaced by human work before release.
However, the use of generative algorithms remains controversial. Players fear a decrease in the artistic uniqueness of games and the consequences of replacing human labor.
It is important to note that the statistics only include projects that officially admitted to using AI. The actual share of such games may be higher.