AI is shrinking video game development teams to one

Emirhan Gül, a former developer at a Turkish startup, has pioneered a new approach to game development. After experiencing burnout from working on 23 games in just five months, Gül founded his own studio, where he now works alone with the help of artificial intelligence tools. Using Claude Code, Gül handles everything from coding to social media management, demonstrating how AI can significantly reduce the need for a large team.

However, this shift towards solo developers is not without its challenges. Despite the ease of entering the industry, only about a fifth of gaming titles are profitable. Moreover, AI tools are also leading to job losses, with more than a quarter of the gaming industry workforce let go in the past two years. Large tech companies like Sony, Microsoft, and Tencent are downsizing, eliminating thousands of jobs and divesting from development studios.

This has made the industry even more competitive, with fewer stable job opportunities for new entrants. On the other hand, AI is also democratizing game development, allowing individuals with no prior programming or design experience to create games. In Turkey, the number of small and independent studios has surged, with 254 applications for a single event in 2024 compared to just 67 in 2023.

This trend is set to continue, as AI continues to lower the barriers to entry, enabling more people to turn their game ideas into reality.