Runway AI Launches Text-Based Game Creation Tool, Engages Gaming Industry

Runway, a generative AI startup known for its impact in Hollywood, is expanding into the video game industry with a new platform called Game Worlds, launching next week. The tool initially allows users to create simple text-based adventure games with AI-generated images, with plans to enable more complex game creation later this year. CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela emphasized that Runway is in talks with game companies to utilize their datasets for training AI and to integrate its technology into game development, believing AI adoption in gaming is accelerating faster than it did in film. While AI usage in games has faced criticism, including strikes by the SAG-AFTRA union over likenesses and voices, Runway aims to replicate its success in film by speeding up creative workflows and production times. The company has already partnered with major studios like AMC and Lionsgate, helping to accelerate pre-production processes, and Valenzuela expressed optimism about transforming game development similarly. Runway's move represents a significant step in democratizing AI-assisted game design for the public, marking a new era in the convergence of AI and interactive entertainment.