Elon Musk wants AI to create games – Larian stays true to creativity and craftsmanship
Elon Musk wants his AI company xAI to release the first video game created entirely without human developers, and as soon as next year. With this, he aims to prove that artificial intelligence can do more than just generate text or images. However, it remains unclear whether the technology is truly ready for that. The announcement has already sparked debate within the industry, especially among studios like Larian, known for their meticulous and detail-oriented approach to game development.
The XAI game studio will release a great AI-generated game before the end of next year https://t.co/F14rJXNzk9
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 6, 2025
Elon Musk Plans The First Fully AI-Created Video Game
It is still unclear how advanced these plans actually are. What is certain, however, is that Elon Musk wants a video game to be developed entirely by artificial intelligence. The in-house model Grok, created by his company xAI, is expected to handle the entire creative process, from design to gameplay.
The announcement did not go unnoticed: It sparked intense debate in the gaming world, and even Larian, the studio behind Baldur’s Gate 3, has now weighed in.
Larian Studios Speaks Out
This approach hasn’t been well received by Larian Studios. The studio behind Baldur’s Gate 3 is known for putting a great deal of passion and creativity into its games. That puts Larian in sharp contrast to Musk’s vision of a fully automated game production process.
For Larian, game development is more art than algorithm. Michael Douse, Publishing Director for Baldur’s Gate 3, explained:
"Genuinely, what this industry needs is not more mathematically produced, psychologically trained gameplay loops, [but] rather more expressions of worlds that folks are engaged with, or want to engage with.“
He went on to say:
"AI has its place as a tool, but we have all the tools in the world, and they aren't compensating for the incredible lack of cogent direction. AI isn't going to solve the big problem of the industry, which is leadership and vision.
In further posts, Douse wrote about what, for him, makes a good game:
"Those who will succeed are those who are people building something for people.“
And finally, he emphasized:
"There is no craft without the human touch; the relative skill issue, or 'the exhibition of otherness.' To turn games into digital, emotionless content is to abandon all resonance - which is why people play.“
His words strike a chord. While AI continues to open up new possibilities, Douse reminds us that games are ultimately made by people, for people and that must not be lost.
AI And The Future of Gaming
Perhaps one day AI will be capable of creating entire worlds. But until then, the heart of gaming will remain human. The challenge for the industry will be to balance technology and emotion rather than replacing one with the other. In the coming years, it will become clear how strongly artificial intelligence can truly shape creative processes. Between automation and inspiration lies a fine line. Studios that manage to use AI purposefully as a tool without losing the human core of their work will play a decisive role in shaping the future of the industry.
What are your thoughts on this topic? Let us know in the comments!
