Games got prettier. The game stayed mostly the same.

Better graphics do not automatically create a new way to play. The question I care about is whether AI can change what happens between the player and the game.

Gaming spent decades improving the surface.

More polygons, bigger maps, faster networks, and production budgets large enough to fund a small country. The actual relationship between player and game barely moved.

We still press buttons while software follows rules written months ago.

AI agents finally have a chance to change that relationship. Something inside the game can understand what is happening, make a plan, adapt, and coordinate while you play.

I do not want AI to play games instead of us. That sounds boring. I want to build games that can actually play with us.

Originally published on Johannes Cortez’s site.