Ultima creator claims AI reduced Shroud of the Avatar bugs to zero

Richard Garriott, the creator of the Ultima video game series, stated during an appearance on the TechJesse podcast that his game Shroud of the Avatar has zero bugs due to artificial intelligence, GamesRadar reported. Garriott said that artificial intelligence allows his team to use fewer people and less time to make games. GamesRadar noted that game studios are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence tools to streamline development, raising fears of job displacement across the industry. [1][2]

Shroud of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues is a 2018 fantasy role-playing video game. Austin, Texas-based studio Portalarium developed the title as a spiritual successor to the Ultima series. Garriott served as creative director alongside executive producer Starr Long, lead technical designer Chris Spears, and lead story designer Tracy Hickman. Studio Catnip Games currently maintains the title. [3]

As FTMQ Gaming reported earlier, Garriott created the Ultima series and sold developer Origin Systems alongside the franchise rights to publisher Electronic Arts in 1992. Garriott stated he could regain the rights to the Ultima franchise from Electronic Arts as early as next year. The Ultima series had sold more than two million copies by 1997. [6]