AI Games Enter the "Hongguo Moment": Claude Opus 5.5 Boosts Game Programming, Why Are Tencent and miHoYo Unfazed?

By | Zinc Scale, Author | Chen Dengxin, Editor | Li Wenjie

Not long ago, Anthropic released Claude Opus 5.5, which focused on improving game programming capabilities, leading large models to reshape the game development track.

Developers can not only use large models to quickly recreate classic games, but also stitch different games together, overturning the entire gaming community's worldview.

Until 2025, large models entered the zero-threshold development stage, and ordinary people could also develop a game work with immersion and freedom through AI without any foundation.

Public data shows that on the Steam platform, games with AI tags are increasing; the proportion was 1.2% in 2023, and by mid-2026 it was as high as 30.8%.

It is worth mentioning that Musk also entered the fray, establishing XAI artificial intelligence game studio, and plans to release a native AI game built on the Grok large model before the end of 2026.

At present, throwing a game video to a large model can produce a roughly similar game; throwing a AAA title to a large model can produce a web version that does not require high computer performance; throwing a low-pixel old game from decades ago to a large model can produce a high-pixel version...

The above-mentioned game developer further stated that in the past most players scoffed at AI games and were somewhat resistant to classic IP embracing AI, but now they hold an open mindset, and some even stitched the shooter game "Modern Warfare 2" and the skateboarding game "Skate 3" into a new AI game, which unexpectedly went viral.

"Rosky" said: "In the past, making mods and porting games both had no small technical threshold; now, this threshold is loosening. When players can modify games themselves, competitors can also reproduce core mechanics faster, and manufacturers have to reconsider testing cycles, release pace, and the value of platform exclusivity."

Looking back, large models can obtain the target game's source code through decompilation, then recreate it based on the source code and generate a new game; this process is similar to the widely criticized game piracy.

It should be noted that decompilation was not easy in the past, but in front of continuously evolving large models it is a piece of cake.

Luke Dicken, former head of the AI department at the American game company TAKE TWO, said: "Today any game enthusiast can decompile AAA titles and generate clone games at extremely low cost, entirely because frontier labs such as Anthropic and OpenAI are using huge venture capital for 'computing power subsidies.'"

More importantly, recreation has a second path besides decompilation.

Specifically, large models do not need to copy the source code exactly the same way; instead, they study relevant functions based on game videos or game demos, understand the game's underlying logic, then rewrite the game code, superimpose AI-generated game assets and fine-tune details of game play, and it becomes a new game, thereby achieving the purpose of circumventing copyright protection.

Image source: Tech Frontier

The latest case is that the music management company Reservoir accused Anthropic of suspected unauthorized copying of copyrighted lyrics for its Claude large model.

"Tencent Technology" said: "AI does indeed shorten the time from 'I also want to make one' to 'I have already made it.' But legal judgment cannot be compressed into the sentence 'using AI means infringement,' nor can it be simply understood as 'gameplay is not protected, so it can be copied.' AI can reduce production costs, but it cannot turn systematic 'reskinning' into legal innovation."

Against this background, mini-game platforms were the first to act to maintain a virtuous cycle in the ecosystem.

For example, WeChat mini-games launched a free "one-stop rights protection" function; the costs of clue monitoring, evidence collection, and basic legal services are all borne by the platform. It has cumulatively handled more than 50,000 violation clues and removed more than 20,000 links to black and gray industries, effectively safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of original developers.

For another example, Douyin mini-games upgraded their rights protection mechanism. For unauthorized decompilation and recreation of third-party works, the platform will implement escalating penalties: first infringement results in removal and a warning; a second violation results in a 7-day ban on the entity's submission; a third violation results in a 30-day ban; if a fourth infringement occurs, the entity will face permanent banning and refusal of access for new games.

Image source: Douyin Mini Games

In short, mini-game platforms proactively assume responsibility for copyright protection and encourage developers to increase original creation and innovation.

In fact, the core demand of mini-game platforms at present is to make games evergreen; developers' original intention must shift from making quick money to building long-term operations, thereby continuously extending the game's vitality.

After all, only by settling down to become long-term retained users and continuously providing stable revenue can a win-win situation for developers and mini-game platforms be achieved.

DataEye Research Institute said: "The 'Bu Wen Fan Chen' project team defined the framework, character settings, standards, and review, while AI generates or drives a large amount of dialogue, branches, performances, and assets according to the corresponding rules. Therefore, developers' work focus may no longer be producing content, but shifting to setting standards, proofreading content, adjusting model parameters, and so on."

From this perspective, large models are a double-edged sword. Used well, they can enhance a game's product power and give games more plasticity and playability; used poorly, they may lead to bad money driving out good.

Ji Bit's chairman Lu Hongyan said: "Before last year we were still paying attention to the impact of AI on cost reduction and efficiency improvement in production capacity, but this year we found that AI can greatly accelerate the iteration speed of prototype testing, and the realization of many ideas will become very fast. At this stage, AI has changed from a tool to a partner creating together with us."

In summary, the game track has entered a new era of competition. AI games are moving from mere filler to constant surprises and are gradually gaining popularity among game players, but along with this come problems of shoddy production and copyright protection. Therefore, taking the native development route is the right path for AI games.