# Let's Actually Look at Neil Druckmann's Quotes on AI and one of Naughty Dog's New Games The other day Sony published a [Creative Vision Presentation](https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/creative-entertainment-vision/), as a sort of pitch for what our lives could [look like in 10 years](https://youtube.com/watch?v=mq7Jg_1hGTo) through a lens of Sony's technology, creativity, and ideas.[^1] Alongside all these promotional videos, Sony has (and is still) publishing "special interviews" with different creatives about this topic of changes in a decade. [One of the first interviews was with Neil Druckmann](https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/creative-entertainment-vision/interview/2.html). I wanted to read through the interview and see if there was anything I wanted to share, but it seems The Internet™ has decided the quotes of interest—those revolving around one of Naughty Dog's new games and AI. It also seems that The Internet™ ignored context and blown things out of proportion. Shocker. The biggest contention I picked up on was this tidbit; > "Moreover, AI is really going to revolutionize how content is being created..." Press and outlets plucked out "AI" and "revolutionize" as choice words in their headlines and tweets because of the immediate SEO and clicky power they possess in the current zeitgeist. If we grab the quote with some surrounding context, we can actually understand what Neil said. > This broadening of possibilities is fueled by increasingly accessible tools that allow even non-technical people to use their imagination and create worlds and narratives to their heart's content. Moreover, AI is really going to revolutionize how content is being created, although it does bring up some ethical issues we need to address. With technologies like AI and the ability to do motion capture right from home, we're reducing both costs and technical hurdles, opening the door for us to take on more adventurous projects and push the boundaries of storytelling in games. This evolution is truly empowering creators to bring their visions to life without the traditional obstacles. No lies detected here. The innovation and implementation of AI, LLMs, etc. *is* going to revolutionize how content is being created. There *are* ethical issues with these tools in their current state. The barrier (and cost) of entry is going down with powerful tools becoming more accessible. There was one more quote where Neil brought up AI. Here's the whole thing right off the bat. > I emphasize mastering fundamentals over tools; with AI, your creativity sets the limits. Understanding art history, composition, and storytelling is essential for effective direction. Tools evolve quickly—Some tools once essential, now are obsolete. At Naughty Dog, we transitioned from hand-animating 'Jak and Daxter' to using motion capture in 'Uncharted', significantly enhancing our storytelling. AI will allow us to create nuanced dialogues and characters, expanding creative possibilities. However, it's crucial to precisely direct these tools to achieve the intended outcomes. The clicky quote is the one about creating nuanced dialogues and characters. But the surrounding context is all about using these models as tools; precisely and intentionally. Let's pick on Neil's example of full-blown hand animating *Jak & Daxter* to mocap for *Uncharted*. Naughty Dog still hand animated the *Uncharted* games. They [[Hand Animating the Faces in The Last of Us Part I|hand animated faces]] *The Last of Us* too! Mocap did not replace the need for hand animation. It actually increased the demand for it in [a nuanced way to elicit a stronger emotional response](https://youtube.com/watch?v=yH5MgEbBOps&t=2197). Motion capture got them closer than ever before, because mocap was the tool that was focused precisely and intentionally. The same can (and should) be done with generative tools. That is exactly what Neil is calling out. The other pull quote regarded one of Naughty Dog's next games. > I'm eager to see how this new game resonates, especially following the success of The Last of Us, as it could redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming. I think you can see how this one blew up. So much so that Neil [shared](https://x.com/Neil_Druckmann/status/1794187395279253837) his original answer. Here's that quote in all its unedited glory.[^2] Sorry, not sorry. > Well, I've been very lucky, in that l've already had that. I got the chance to make several of my dream projects. I am working on a new one right now. And it's maybe the most excited l've been for a project yet. I can't talk about it or our bosses will get very mad at me. > > And I guess in general, there is something happening now that I think is very cool. Which is there's a new appreciation for gaming that I've never seen before. Like when I was growing up, gaming was more of a kid's thing. Now it's clearly for everyone. But it's like, if you're a gamer, you know about the potential of games, and non-gamers, they don't really know what they're missing out on. But my hope was, when we made The Last of Us as a TV show that we could change that. And why I became so involved with it. I wanted so badly for it to be good, because I wanted this to happen, which is like someone who will watch the show and really like it. And fall in love with those characters the way that we have fallen in love with those characters and their story. And then realize at the end, "wait, that's based on a video game?" and then go and check out the game and just see the wealth of narratives and everything that's happening in games. > > So now I feel like there's kind of a spotlight on gaming. And you know, Fallout just came out. And that's a big success for Amazon. And I find that really exciting. Not because games need to be movies, or they need to be TV shows, but I think it just kind of opens the eyes of a bunch of people that just weren't aware of the kind of experiences that exist in games. I think right now we've hit a tipping point where it's about to take off where people realize, "Oh my God, there's all these incredible moving experiences in games!" > > So, I'm not only excited for this game that we're making - and it's, it's something really fresh for us - but l'm also excited to see how the world reacts to it. Because of The Last of Us, and the success of the show, people even outside of gaming are looking at us to see what it is that we put out next. I'm very excited to see what the reaction for this thing will be— and I've already said too much about it. I'll stop there. So, you're asking me for my dream projects. I've been very lucky to have worked on my favorite games with incredible collaborators and I'm very thankful for them. Right away, the mainstream bit isn't even there. Neil's tweet accompanying the screenshot says "in editing my rambling answers." Before reading the quote, I assumed that Sony just chopped up the quote to meet their designs for the piece. ~~After reading the quote, I think it is clear Neil self-edited here.~~ I can't believe Sony would *make up a quote* from one of their most valued employees from one of their most prolific studios.[^7] > [!info]- Update: 5/29/24 > Sony has *[[Sony Pulls Interview with Neil Druckmann|removed]]* the interview, citing "several significant errors and inaccuracies." I am stunned that someone at Sony would make up blatant false quotes. Someone got fired. > > I've struck out my speculation that Neil self-edited, but it is still legible. This is what I get for optimistic speculation. > [!info]- Update: 5/26/24 > [VGC has taken](https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/neil-druckmann-claims-he-was-misquoted-by-sony-over-redefine-gaming-comment/) Neil's tweet and statement as Sony did heavily edit and make up parts of Neil's quotes. I wanted to share this for both sides. I hate to believe a corporation would make up quotes, but it could happen. I just think self-editing makes more sense, see above. What the mainstream bit is saying, is that fans of *The Last of Us* **on HBO** could have their perceptions of video games changed by this particular game. Why? Because all eyes are on Naughty Dog now, not just those inside the video game industry. He's not proclaiming that Naughty Dog's next game is going to change lifelong players perception of the medium. We already know about the capabilities of video games and telling the story [[Chasing the Stick - The History of Naughty Dog during the PS4 Era|on the stick]]. And I think this whole quote and scenario exemplifies what I am focusing on here—context matters. As media has raced to the bottom to have the shortest, most shocking, and engaging headlines, so few people *read* the article or interview. We judge an entire person, piece of art, market, object, and more off hand-selected pull quotes intended to drive arbitrary engagement to push up ad revenue and sell our data. In that, we feed the machine that is designed to benefit others and upset us. Don't settle for spoon fed frustration, hype, or controversy. Read for yourself. Inform and form your own opinion. Learn and discuss others. Respectfully. It's way more fun this way. I promise. Now, um, I'd like to actually, you know, read into this big boy quote. Say it with me now... New IP! New IP! New IP! New IP! I am a firm believer that *The Last of Us Part III* is [[History is Repeating Itself|in the works]] at Naughty Dog, but that doesn't mean that *Part III* is the *next* game. And we know, for a fact, that Naughty Dog has [[Naughty Dog Cancels The Last of Us Online|multiple games in development]].[^3] Let's pair up the two chunks about this game that has Neil pumped. > I got the chance to make several of my dream projects. I am working on a new one right now. And it's maybe the most excited l've been for a project yet. I can't talk about it or our bosses will get very mad at me... > > ...So, I'm not only excited for this game that we're making - and it's, it's something really fresh for us - but l'm also excited to see how the world reacts to it. Because of The Last of Us, and the success of the show, people even outside of gaming are looking at us to see what it is that we put out next. I'm very excited to see what the reaction for this thing will be— and I've already said too much about it. I'll stop there. This is coming from the guy that views "[marketing as part of the game](https://youtube.com/watch?v=SC3C7GMMfDU&t=2459);" the guy that said what Naughty Dog shares is "very calculated."[^4] There is zero to glean about the game, except for the "fresh" part. Naughty Dog has been working on *Uncharted* and *The Last of Us* for nearly 20 years.[^5][^6] Fresh can only mean... New IP! New IP! New IP! New IP! I just hope that new IP actually releases on the PS5. It's been a looooong console generation without a top-to-bottom, brand new Naughty Dog game, let alone a new IP. One other quote from the initial interview that I just found cool. > For instance, at Naughty Dog, we are using a proprietary engine that automates environmental design using predefined rules, allowing the software to create landscapes automatically. It feels like little is known about Naughty Dog's engine. I always treasure insight into its capabilities beyond the finished product. And this serves as another example of tech as a tool to help iterate and push the creation of level design forward, precisely and intentionally. [^1]: One thing we know [we can bank on](https://youtube.com/watch?v=mq7Jg_1hGTo&t=88) from this concept video is that Sony will still be selling [new versions of Horizon Zero Dawn](https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/horizon-zero-dawn-ps5-remake-ps-plus-rumor/) ten years from now. [^2]: Okay, I *did* add returns throughout to make it easier to read for you. So I suppose it is no edited, but no content was altered beyond that. [^3]: 🪦 *The Last of Us Online* [^4]: Who's using pull quotes now? 😅 It's all the same quote. Calm down. [^5]: Oh my gosh. My body turned into dust writing that sentence. Goodbye world. [^6]: The math here is purely to shock. I just started from *Uncharted: Drake's Fortune*'s, aka Project Big's, development with a time of 2006 and calculated it to day. Naughty Dog hasn't made a new *Uncharted* game since *The Lost Legacy* in 2017 and they started working on *The Last of Us* after *Uncharted 2* in 2009. I am extrapolating time as much as possible here. [^7]: Fun fact: [[Sony Pulls Interview with Neil Druckmann|They did]].