NVIDIA Unveils Enhanced ACE Technology at CES 2025
During the recent CES 2025 keynote, NVIDIA made several notable announcements regarding the expansion of its Avatar Cloud Engine (ACE) technology. Initially introduced at Computex 2023, this advanced platform will now support AI-driven characters in a variety of major PC games, transforming the gaming landscape.
KRAFTON Embraces NVIDIA ACE in PUBG
Leading the charge is KRAFTON, which is fully integrating NVIDIA ACE into its flagship title, PUBG. The inclusion of ‘co-playable characters’ is marked by the PUBG Ally feature, utilizing the Mistral-Nemo-Minitron-8B-128k-instruct small language model. This feature empowers AI teammates to converse using game-specific terminology, offer strategic insights, locate and share loot, operate vehicles, and engage in combat with real players effectively.
KRAFTON CEO CH Kim stated, “CES 2025 marks a significant milestone for KRAFTON and NVIDIA as we work together to unveil AI technology that will revolutionize the gaming industry. We plan to closely collaborate with NVIDIA to drive the transformation of the user experience with AI-powered innovation, such as CPC, that promises to redefine the future of gaming.”
Dynamic Interactions in inZoi
Another KRAFTON title, inZoi, promises to leverage the ACE technology with its own unique take on co-playable characters. The ‘Smart Zoi’ will dynamically respond to their surroundings and behaviors based on their personalities, creating immersive interactions. For instance, a Smart Zoi characterized by empathy might assist a hungry individual by fetching food or providing guidance to someone who appears lost.
Kangwook Lee, Head of Deep Learning Division at KRAFTON, remarked, “PUBG IP Franchise’s PUBG Ally and inZOI’s Smart Zoi, rising as the world’s first CPC (Co-Playable Character) built with NVIDIA ACE, are unlocking new and unique experiences. At KRAFTON, we’re excited by the possibilities of ACE autonomous game characters and how AI will enhance the way we create games.”
Broader Adoption Among Game Developers
Other game developers are also exploring the capabilities of NVIDIA ACE. NetEase, for example, plans to integrate AI teammates into its renowned Battle Royale, NARAKA: Bladepoint. These AI characters will join player squads, assist in combat, and enhance strategic gameplay by providing useful suggestions and resources.
Zhipeng Hu, Head of Thunder Fire BU at NetEase, explained, “NVIDIA enables game developers to push past expected boundaries with AI technology. NVIDIA ACE in NARAKA: BLADEPOINT MOBILE PC VERSION allows us to create AI autonomous characters that naturally assist the player in their epic battles.”
The mobile variant of NARAKA: Bladepoint is set to release this feature in March, while the PC version will follow later this year, much to the excitement of gamers.
Revolutionary AI Boss Encounters
Meanwhile, Wemade is elevating the MMORPG experience in MIR5 with the introduction of an innovative AI boss named Asterion, Lord of the Void. Utilizing NVIDIA ACE, this boss will learn and adapt during encounters, analyzing players’ strategies and adjusting its attacks based on past experiences, thus offering a unique challenge each time.
Jung Soo Park, CEO of Wemade Next, shared, “Together with NVIDIA, we have begun a new era of gaming with NVIDIA ACE autonomous game characters. MIR5’s AI bosses are a milestone moment in gaming, enabling unique boss encounters with every play session. We’re excited to see how this technology transforms games.”
Innovative Applications in Various Genres
Moreover, upcoming titles like Dead Meat will utilize NVIDIA ACE to facilitate fully dynamic local conversations, previously reliant on cloud resources. Meaning Machine is combining ACE with other advanced technologies to create interactive dialogue systems that enhance gameplay immersion.
Emotionally Intelligent NPCs and AI-Driven Narratives
GoodAI’s sandbox title, AI People, features NPCs that engage autonomously, crafting a compelling narrative by learning and interacting within their environment. These characters now operate on GeForce RTX GPUs, enabling rich, localized gameplay experiences compared to previous cloud-dependent models.
Engagement Through Natural Communication
Additionally, TiGames recently showcased ZooPunk, a tech demo blending multiple AI technologies to allow NPCs to interact naturally with players. This innovative setup includes voice recognition, intention parsing, dialogue generation, and even AI-assisted art creation, all running on the latest GeForce RTX hardware.
Audio2Face Technology in Upcoming Titles
NVIDIA’s Audio2Face technology is also featured in the newly released VR title Alien: Rogue Incursion, alongside Perfect World Games’ MMORPG World of Jade Dynasty, which showcased dynamic animations driven by real-time voice acting.
As the gaming industry embraces NVIDIA ACE, it is clear that this technology promises transformative changes in game design and user engagement. The developments seen at CES 2025 highlight a future where AI characters not only enrich gameplay but also redefine player interactions substantially.
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