Atlas’ Generative AI has a Key Role to Play in the Future of Gaming
Since the inception of Axie Infinity, the crypto world has been feverishly anticipating (and speculating) what the future of gaming will look like. Many proponents of crypto believe that the future of gaming will live on the blockchain. Web3 gamers will have more ownership over their in-game assets than they could in video games built on Web2 rails.
While we haven’t yet seen mainstream adoption of web3 gaming, I think it’s important to outline how far we’ve come:
- Blockchain gaming has seen $2.3 billion in funding YTD in 2023
- The most prominent VCs in crypto are hyper focused on backing founders building here
- 2024 is anticipated to be the year multiple AAA Web3 Titles release, including Star Atlas, Shrapnel, Blocklords etc.
With the sheer amount of funding that is coming into this space, and with the best titles being released over the next few months, Web3 gaming has an opportunity to attract gamers from outside of crypto’s walls and potentially be a catalyst for the entire crypto market.
Generative AI can Supercharge Development
One criticism of web3 gaming to date, has surrounded how “fun” some of the existing titles are to play. I think it’s fair to say, Axie Infinity is glorified yield farming. No doubt, the development of Axie was revolutionary, but now has come the time to build Web3 titles with “fun” being the first priority and crypto mechanics second.
But these titles are coming! And soon. When building AAA games that will capture the attention of millions, the process to doing so can be arduous. When developing GTA 5, Rockstar Games hired 1000 developers that took over 4 years to build everything at a cost of $265 million. Building anything of this calibre is an extraordinary undertaking.
But what if there was a better way?
Generative AI has been quite the hot topic in recent years. Products such as Midjourney and DALL-E 2, have clearly found product market fit, and have captured the imagination of millions. It is clear that AI will only continue to get better, and the potential use cases are vast!
One firm, Atlas, is taking generative AI to the next level and transforming the way gaming titles will be developed in the years to come. Atlas has built a generative 3D AI engine that acts as a collaborative design partner that augments intuition and streamlines workflows for artists and designers, allowing them to scale productivity while empowering more creativity. Essentially, game developers can reduce their time and cost of developing these 3D gaming worlds by huge orders of magnitude. This incredible breakthrough could be the catalyst that gaming needs to supercharge development and bring AAA titles to market quicker.
A Look at Atlas’ 3D AI Engine
Atlas works with game developers like Square Enix and Consortium 9 and XR builders to create experiences that were previously impossible: virtual worlds with constantly updating maps, real-time aesthetic evolutions informed by users’ actions, and so much more. Atlas is able to accomplish this due to their custom 3D generative AI engine that can create entire virtual worlds consistent with a partner’s existing IP that can be refined and deployed anywhere.
This is where I find their model extremely fascinating. Existing GenAI companies essentially feed their engines with data, images, and videos from across the internet which then spit out an amalgamation of their training based on user prompts. The Atlas team will specifically work with gaming companies to input their existing IP (3D worlds, pictures, videos, assets etc.) into their engine to produce assets specific to these firms that they own. Atlas can build and deploy an entire virtual world in any design style — from hyper realistic to fantasy — in a fraction of the time it currently takes. Past projects have shown Atlas can reduce production time and cost by up to 200x, which is incredible.
Atlas’ ability to establish a hyperlocal data and product moat for partners to ensure the AI engine can scale is a unique selling feature that has already allowed the team to find product-market-fit. Atlas has proven themselves as an industry leader and is already being integrated into the work streams of top names in AAA and next-gen game developers, including Square Enix and Consortium 9. And to take matters further, as a testament to Atlas’ robust platform, a number of their partners have also converted to investors. Talk about conviction!
It’s also important to point out Atlas’ commitment to AI ethical practices. The biggest roadblock for AI companies may face in the future is over-regulation, and it’s extremely important to get out ahead of it. Atlas has built its AI tech over three years in accordance with the high standards set by the EU High Level Expert Group on AI’s “Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence” and their unique, math-first systemic approach reflects this.
Atlas Will Help Build the Future of Web3 Gaming
When discussing the future of crypto and Web3 it’s becoming tougher to bring up without the discussion quickly becoming about the intersection of crypto and AI. The convergence of crypto and AI represents a groundbreaking partnership that holds the potential to reshape the landscape of finance, technology, and beyond. AI technologies, with their predictive analytics and data processing capabilities, can enhance the security and efficiency of blockchain networks, making transactions faster and more secure. On the flip side, cryptocurrencies can incentivize the development of AI models by providing decentralised, transparent, and secure payment systems for data sharing and computational resources.
With this in mind, the team at Atlas has really leaned into the world of crypto. A big percent of their existing customers and investors are metaverse builders and Web3 gaming studios. And for good reason. The team is taking a bet on the future of gaming. Web3 gaming has the opportunity to shift our perception of how we spend our time online interacting with friends. Today’s online worlds are pay to play, with a mission of extracting as much value and data as they can from its players. Web3 gaming is important for online ownership because it shifts the balance of power from centralised game developers to players, introducing true ownership of in-game assets, interoperability between games, player-centric economies, increased security, and stronger community engagement. These factors are revolutionising the gaming industry, offering players a more immersive and empowering gaming experience.
For web3 gaming studios that are building with this mission in mind, reducing the cost and time to get their titles to market and jumpstart the gaming revolution is an important factor they consider. Building with Atlas and their generative 3D game engine as a tool to complement their existing developers and AI will become a no-brainer for Web3 game developers.
Keep an eye out for your favourite Web3 games launching over the next few months, and pay special attention to the sheer amount of them that will list Atlas as a partner, helping them pave the way for the next phase of gaming as we know it.
