How AI, Live Service, and the Roblox Economy Are Reshaping Games

A string of news stories in May 2026 showed the games industry approaching the same question from different angles: are AI tools really speeding up production, is the live service model still sustainable, or are platform economies where players gather becoming the main strategy?

The picture is not simple. On one side, Sony says it has integrated AI tools into production under the PlayStation umbrella. On the other, Warhorse’s creative director says the hype around AI is excessive. Roblox wants to move toward photorealism with AI, but that idea is not getting a clear response from developers. Around the same time, Sega cancels its live service “Super Game,” with PC Gamer reading it as a correction moment for the industry. Meanwhile, Genshin Impact is still keeping its player flow alive through live events and code drops.

PlayStation and Warhorse: AI is speeding up production, not replacing creators

Sony’s statement is notable because it does not position AI as something that directly replaces creative people. PlayStation boss Hideaki Nishino says AI is a “powerful tool,” but not a substitute for artists and creators. One of the standout examples in the presentation is Mockingbird: a tool that turns facial motion captured from performance sessions into character animation. [IGN] Sony also mentions another AI tool used in Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered for Aloy’s hair modeling; converting real-world hair footage into a detailed 3D model reduced the time needed for manual work.

That framing makes it clear that AI is aimed at the production pipeline, not creative decisions. Sony also says it uses AI for PS5 Pro visual enhancements, legal content protection, and 3D conversion of film footage. It even says AI-assisted payment routing has generated an extra $700 million in revenue over the past few years.

Warhorse’s tone is similar, though more cautious. Prokop Jirsa says outright that he does not want to use AI for public-facing art production. Still, he acknowledges that AI-assisted programming and concept art generation can be useful during development. With the line “I think nowadays the hype is way too much,” he argues that expectations have been inflated. Jirsa’s view makes the key distinction in the AI debate very clear: in-game content and production support are not the same thing.

Roblox and 99 Nights in the Forest: platform economics attract the audience

The Roblox side of the story shifts the AI conversation to something else: access, not aesthetics. According to PC Gamer, Roblox is considering AI tools that would make its games photorealistic, but the idea is not resonating with developers. One developer puts it bluntly: “I don’t think that your average player right now wants to do that.” The same report points to 99 Nights in the Forest to emphasize that children are on Roblox, and players are there too.