Concerns over intellectual property (IP) breaches have led major game developers, including Nintendo, to steer clear of using generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in game development.
Despite the creative potential of generative AI, its commercial use is heavily dependent on the datasets used to train these models. Consequently, Nintendo has opted not to incorporate generative AI in its upcoming games.
During a shareholders’ meeting, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa expressed his hesitation regarding generative AI in game development. While acknowledging the historical relationship between AI technology and game development, Furukawa highlighted the risk of IP violations. He stated:
“Generative AI, which has become a hot topic in recent years, can do more creative things, but on the other hand, we recognize that it also has problems related to intellectual property rights.”
Furukawa emphasized that cutting-edge technology alone isn't enough to meet gamers' expectations. He stressed that Nintendo’s decades of experience are crucial in delivering the best gaming experiences.
In a separate development, a group of enthusiasts known as onchain ninjas has inscribed an emulator for the Nintendo 64 (N64) console onto the Bitcoin network, aiming to preserve classic video games using blockchain technology. Trevor Owens, CEO of Bitcoin Ordinals portfolio tracker Ninjalerts, spearheaded the "Pizza Ninjas" project, using the Ordinals protocol to inscribe the N64 emulator on Bitcoin. Owens stated:
“We want to advance the conversation with preservationists around classic games and hope that effort can be taken by the community to figure out how to put the critically endangered games onchain in a legal way.”
Addressing copyright concerns, Owens advocated for finding legal methods to preserve these games on the blockchain.
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