King Accelerates Candy Crush Level Development with AI

King has been leveraging AI and machine learning to enhance and accelerate game development for over five years, even before acquiring Peltarion, a Swedish AI software company, in 2022. The Candy Crush maker's AI Labs, led by Sahar Asadi, has introduced AI tools that are being used in games like Candy Crush, with one tool having a significant impact on the game's development. The playtesting bot provides designers with insights into the player experience before releasing a level, allowing them to refine it if necessary. The bot can also automatically make refinements to levels based on designer input. This has reduced the time spent on tweaking levels, enabling designers to focus on the creative aspects of level design. The AI is designed to replicate human-like behavior, learned from data on player actions and preferences. The impact of the bot has been substantial, with 95% fewer manual tweaks and 50% faster level iteration. However, the bot is not just about speed; it also helps ensure the quality of released levels. The use of AI has raised concerns about the role of designers, but Asadi sees the bot as a co-pilot, providing insights that designers can use to make informed decisions. The company is now exploring ways to better understand player preferences and behaviors, using foundational models and machine learning developments to create a more personalized experience. With AI advancing rapidly, King's early investment in the technology has given it a competitive edge, and the company is poised to integrate new AI solutions into its games quickly. Other studios will need to consider how to integrate AI into their games, both technically and culturally, to reap the benefits of this rapidly evolving technology.