Adventures in Survival: AI and VR's Impact, Anxieties, and Obstacles
I was chilling on the couch, letting my significant other tackle their game of Dota 2, the rhythmic clicks of their mouse piercing the dead silence of a chilly December night. Their gaze never wavered from the screen, every command sharp and precise as they led their team towards triumph – or at least a worthy fight.
In the midst of the chaos of combat, there would be brief moments of peace, where their character, the Dragon Knight – a legendary soldier capable of morphing into an incredibly potent dragon – stood motionless in a virtual jungle, surrounded by the shattered remnants of a once prosperous realm. It was during these rare pauses that they'd take a break at the "fountain of restoration," its waters offering a momentary relief from battle's pain.
Amidst the split-second clicks, hard-earned victories, and crushing defeats, it became apparent how gaming, this enjoyable friction between reality and virtuality, 'us' versus 'them' and the quest for something more, mirrored underlying tendencies in the socio-technological universe in which we reside.
As AI, VR, and immersive interactivity come to the forefront, the landscape of gaming is altering dramatically. These worlds, where endurance, cooperation, and competition are pivotal aspects of engagement, are evolving into metaphors for our intricate realities as technology remolds the human condition.
In Dota 2 and similar titles, players confront a realm where survival isn't a given, and each decision bears significant consequences. As advancements in sensory feedback, AI-driven non-player characters, and dynamic virtual landscapes in response to player actions continue to emerge, distinguishing fantasy from truth becomes increasingly difficult. Just as the characters in these games grapple with and forecast the unknown, we might too.
Utopia versus Dystopia
Survival games, once simple tales of "survive no matter what," have evolved significantly. Powered by AI, VR, and Web3 technology, they are no longer viewed merely as forms of amusement but as promising markets and sectors.
However, this genre has always echoed society's anxieties. Early offerings like The Oregon Trail sensationalized – sometimes in culturally insensitive terms – the dangers of westward expansion, and by the 2000s, apocalyptic narratives, fueled by actual-world worries like environmental collapse and resource shortages, gained popularity.
According to research published by the University of Ontario's Institute of Technology, pessimism towards future generations correlates with the rise of survival games in the early 2000s. Around 2009, rates of pessimism towards future generations began increasing while optimism decreased, with pessimism surpassing optimism in 2013.
“During this same period, according to player-categorized genres, we observed a dramatic increase in survival games on the market compared to the ten years prior to this period – 1999 to 2009,” the researchers note in their 2018 paper titled “Survival Themed Video Games and Cultural Constructs of Power.”
Historically, videogames, both single and multiplayer, focused on players transcending themselves within the virtual realm, with utopian settings being particularly popular. Conversely, the current, fatalistic, post-apocalyptic, and survival-themed games of the last decade counter these optimistic, venturous, and achievement-oriented atmospheres, argue the researchers.
“Categorized more as dystopian environments, these [modern] games often represent a civilization formed around the embodiment of fears and worries in the existing culture. These genres cultivate a fatalistic perspective on life, where survival is thrust upon the player,” they note.
Now, AI and VR are revamping the genre, making survival even more visceral, engaging, and immersive than ever before.
The Forest employs AI to create NPCs that are not only responsive to player actions but also display emergent behavior, forming alliances or attacking players unexpectedly. Other games leverage procedural worlds powered by AI, providing unique experiences for players as they explore an infinite universe.
Meanwhile, VR-oriented titles like The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners submerge players in post-apocalyptic realms where every decision – whether to loot, combat, or flee – carries immense personal weight due to the medium's unprecedented realism. Dangerous situations in the virtual world can feel just as real – and for players, that realism can be a game-changer.
The AI Supercycle: Games That Think and Experience
According to Ilman Shazhaev, founder and CEO of blockchain-based shooter game Farcana, gaming will enter the “AI Supercycle” in 2025.
“We’ll see a wave of games reliant on dynamic player interactions instead of pre-written dialogue, responding in real-time to players' decisions and even emotions,” says Shazhaev.
When it comes to players' fears and aspirations, AI introduces unpredictability, reflecting the dread of the unknown, while simultaneously fostering hope by offering players the means to overcome challenges, he says. “VR amplifies this emotional connection, immersing players in scenarios that evoke both isolation and triumph.”
These “living games” echo humanity's apprehensions about an uncertain future while empowering players to conquer challenges.
AI is transforming survival games into adaptive ecosystems where every choice matters, and NPCs now mimic human dynamics: desperate survivors scrambling for resources, opportunistic allies with their own agendas. The result is a deeply engaging gaming experience that taps into the human psyche, keeping players invested in what Shazhaev calls “a dopamine loop.”
AI boosts intricate in-game economies, specifically in Web3 settings. Gamers can own digital assets and identities, easily transferring accomplishments between games, leading to what Shazhaev calls a "unified digital identity." This blend of AI, Web3, and engaging gameplay could turn survival games into cultural phenomena beyond entertainment, suggests Shazhaev, with AI-controlled avatars serving as extensions of their digital identities.
"Digital ownership will no longer be optional by 2025; it'll be a fundamental requirement. Gamers will own in-game assets and identities, smoothly transferring achievements across games while participating in economies that mimic real-world markets. For instance, envision an avatar from one game transferring its abilities, history, and belongings into another."
Boon or Curse?
Survival game design derives from innate human drives, observed Eloise Skinner, an author and psychotherapist. "It taps into our survival instinct, our urge to distinguish good from bad, and the reward systems that stimulate our brain when we pursue and acquire a defined reward," says Skinner.
Andrew Hogue, co-CEO of NEUROFIT, noted their role as emotional relief valves. "It's a means for consumers to discharge emotional pressure and stress linked to the uncertainty of our times, which would otherwise amass in the nervous system as allostatic load."
Robin Arnott, founder of SoundSelf, a digital therapeutic game, identified various regions of the brain that immersive gameplay engaged.
"On the upside, they foster neuroplasticity, our brain's capacity to adjust and form new pathways — particularly in games requiring strategic thought and quick decision-making, like survival games," says Arnott, then elaborating on how this could result in enhanced cognitive flexibility and resilience in real-life scenarios.
But the risks associated with survival games, especially where AI and VR merge, are substantial. Problems like addiction, escapism, and potential desensitization to violence are among the primary concerns. "Prolonged, intense gameplay can sometimes overstimulate the brain's reward centers, making everyday activities less rewarding," says Arnott, while stressing the importance of self-control and mindful engagement.
The immersive character of VR amplifies these risks. When players are transported into hyper-realistic survival environments, the boundary between reality and fantasy can become blurred, causing unhealthy escapism, making it difficult for players to reconnect with their physical environments. Similarly, AI-driven games designed to adapt to a player's behavior could intensify compulsive behavior by providing unending, personalized challenges and rewards, leading to addictive loops.
Furthermore, the psychological intensity of survival games, featuring simplified but high-stakes objectives like finding food or avoiding danger, can both captivate and overwhelm players. Although these mechanisms offer a psychological reprieve in a chaotic world, they might also foster a rigid binary view of success and failure.
The ethical concerns surrounding AI-boosted NPCs in these games are another issue. With NPCs exhibiting human-like behavior, including complex personalities and social dynamics, young audiences might find it challenging to differentiate between digital and real-world interactions.
In this rapidly evolving gaming landscape, the role of consumers is increasingly significant. They are driving the demand for immersive experiences, with innovation in AI, VR, and interactive technologies at the forefront. For instance, players are drawn to survival games that employ AI for more responsive non-player characters and dynamic environments, creating a sense of realism and unpredictability.
The intersection of AI, VR, and Web3 technology in gaming is reshaping how consumers engage with digital content. This convergence allows for unique experiences, such as owning and transferring digital assets and identities between games, creating a cohesive digital identity for players. As the line between reality and virtuality becomes more blurred, these advanced gaming features have the potential to transform survival games from mere entertainment into cultural phenomena, with AI-controlled avatars serving as extensions of their digital identities.
