Position: Interactive Generative Video as Next-Generation Game Engine
Authors: name: Jiwen Yu; name: Yiran Qin; name: Haoxuan Che; name: Quande Liu; name: Xintao Wang; name: Pengfei Wan; name: Di Zhang; name: Xihui Liu
Published: 2025-03-21 17:59:22

Abstract: Modern game development faces significant challenges in creativity and cost
due to predetermined content in traditional game engines. Recent breakthroughs
in video generation models, capable of synthesizing realistic and interactive
virtual environments, present an opportunity to revolutionize game creation. In
this position paper, we propose Interactive Generative Video (IGV) as the
foundation for Generative Game Engines (GGE), enabling unlimited novel content
generation in next-generation gaming. GGE leverages IGV's unique strengths in
unlimited high-quality content synthesis, physics-aware world modeling,
user-controlled interactivity, long-term memory capabilities, and causal
reasoning. We present a comprehensive framework detailing GGE's core modules
and a hierarchical maturity roadmap (L0-L4) to guide its evolution. Our work
charts a new course for game development in the AI era, envisioning a future
where AI-powered generative systems fundamentally reshape how games are created
and experienced.