Yoko Taro Fears AI Will Replace Game Developers: "We Might Become Like Bards"

AI is already starting to creep into video game development, but what happens when it stops being a tool and starts being the creator? Legendary Japanese game developers like Yoko Taro, Kotaro Uchikoshi, Kazutaka Kodaka, and Jiro Ishii recently sat down with Famitsu to talk about that exact fear—and the future they're imagining is... not exactly pretty.

During their roundtable, the group focused on how adventure games have evolved, where they're going, and what AI's growing power could mean for the industry. For Kotaro Uchikoshi, known for the Zero Escape series, the turning point has already happened. He pointed to Detroit: Become Human by Quantic Dream as an example of adventure games reaching a technical peak, saying he dreams of creating something like it with a Japanese touch—but there's a catch.

"There’s a lot of new games I want to create, but with AI technology evolving at such a high speed, I fear that there is a possibility that AI-generated adventure games will become mainstream."

Uchikoshi's concerns aren't coming out of nowhere. Big companies are already testing AI to write basic scripts, generate art, and even design side quests procedurally. Ubisoft, for example, announced "Ghostwriter," an AI tool that helps create NPC dialogue. Meanwhile, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 developers have mentioned using AI-assisted technology to speed up world-building. It's no longer a theory—it's happening right now.

Yoko Taro, the mind behind NieR: Automata, didn't hold back either. He took Uchikoshi’s thought and pushed it further into the future.

"I, too, believe that game creators may lose their jobs because of AI. There’s a chance that in 50 years, game creators will be treated like bards."

In other words, human creators might eventually become nostalgic figures—respected, maybe even romanticized, but no longer central to mainstream development. Just like how medieval bards once told the stories that are now handled by publishing houses and mass media.

When asked whether AI could truly recreate the twisted, surreal storytelling that made games like NieR, Danganronpa, and 428: Shibuya Scramble stand out, both Yoko Taro and Jiro Ishii agreed it was possible. That's the chilling part. AI doesn't just spit out generic copycat games anymore; it can imitate complex narrative styles, twist plots, and build emotional payoffs that feel disturbingly "human."

Kodaka, the creator of Danganronpa, had a slightly different take. He admitted that while AI might be able to copy styles perfectly, it would still lack a creator’s true soul.

"AI could write a game scenario in the style of David Lynch, but Lynch himself could, in return, deliberately change up his own style, and it would still end up feeling authentic and Lynchian."

Basically, AI might be good at remixing what's already there, but the unpredictable evolution of a true human artist? That remains a step beyond.

Still, even with this faint hope, Yoko Taro predicted a new form of storytelling: instead of trying to clone famous writers, AI could create entirely new experiences tailored specifically for each player. Imagine an adventure game that shifts and bends based on your choices—not just in a "branching paths" kind of way, but generating entire routes, plots, and characters dynamically to match your personal playstyle and taste.

At first glance, that sounds incredible. Personalized stories could lead to some of the most immersive games we've ever seen. But Kodaka pointed out the hidden cost. If everyone is playing their own hyper-customized story, there would be no shared experience anymore. No new worldwide cultural phenomena. No "Have you finished Final Fantasy VII?" or "Remember that twist in Danganronpa?" moments. Gaming would become more solitary, and possibly, less magical.

This discussion isn't just philosophical. If we look at the current landscape, studios are rushing toward AI like it's a lifeboat. Square Enix recently announced a major focus on AI to cut development costs. NVIDIA is pushing AI-generated assets for faster game production. Even indie devs are experimenting with AI to build levels, create dialogue, and balance gameplay mechanics.

Some of it is great for workflow. No one’s mourning the death of tedious sidequest filler. But the fear expressed by Taro and his peers is that in solving these problems, we might lose the essence of why people fell in love with games in the first place—the weirdness, the unpredictability, the genuine human flaws that made worlds feel alive.

It’s a future that's coming fast, whether we like it or not. And according to some of the best storytellers gaming has ever known, we might be looking at the last generation where the "human" part of "human creativity" still holds the top spot.

Would you also like me to prep a quick second SEO title/description pair if you want an alternative for A/B testing?