Take-Two Interactive’s AI patents don’t look good for GTA 6

Fans have talked themselves in circles theorising about what they can expect from Rockstar Games in the next Grand Theft Auto, and they've been doing it since long before the first GTA 6 trailer broke records around the world.

The game has been heavily considered for a while, and expectations are perhaps higher than the industry has ever seen - but now, some players are concerned that new patents are pointing toward a GTA future that they don't want.

Take-Two has made some new AI patents

Take-Two Interactive is known as the parent company looking after Rockstar Games, and ultimately, has the say about what goes down. The publisher has just filed some patents that have made some fans nervous that AI-generated content could make its way into GTA 6.

As reported by Justia and shared with fans on Reddit, Take-Two Interactive has issued patents for AI systems designed "for virtual navigation in a gaming environment," as well as "enhanced graphics rendering in a video game environment," and "preventing cheating in a video game environment by providing obfuscated game variables."

According to Justia, the most feasible outcome of these patents is that GTA 6 could be filling empty rooms by creating new items and characters with potential AI generation. GTA 6 has been a long time coming, and as such, fans think that Rockstar shouldn't have to bow to AI generation to finish its game. Others aren't so against the plan, just as long as we get GTA 6 sooner. 

Fans react to suggested GTA 6 AI generation

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Responding to the news, one gamer wrote, "I would be fine with high rises only having a few floors accessible, and random generate the rooms on each floor. Just also change the number above the door and we are done."

Another said, "I don't know what to think of this. I'm a huge fan of Rockstar's handcrafted worlds and usually dislike procedurally generated stuff, because they are mostly soulless and you already know you're not gonna find anything special like an Easter Egg.

"It's gonna be especially tiring after visiting multiple apartments that just feel the same. Also this way you won't be able to tell your friend to visit a house that you found something cool inside, since everybody has a different seed anyway."

AI in video games is a complicated issue as it is, and it's one that's already grabbed the unwanted attention of GTA V's Ned Luke. As we enter murky waters about what was built by humans and what was built by bots, it seems even the most opinionated gaming community can't dissect it either.