Unity AI will let you build entire games with just words

(Image credit: Unity Technologies)

Unity is taking a bold step in the push for AI-powered game creation. During a recent earnings call, CEO Matthew Bromberg announced that an upgraded Unity AI will enter beta at the Game Developers Conference in March, promising to let developers generate full casual games from a simple text prompt.

Bromberg described it as a system that can produce playable prototypes without coding, positioning it squarely in the emerging category of no-code game dev software. We've been here before, of course, with Google's Project Genie and an AI that can create worlds from sketches. But this is Unity, offering a commercial AI tool, which feels more important than anything that's happened to date.

A menu in a game dev software — (Image credit: Image from Unity)

A bold move from Unity

Unlike generic AI tools, Unity’s assistant understands the project’s context and runtime environment, aiming to translate descriptive prompts into functioning gameplay, assets, and logic. Bromberg says it combines this understanding with advanced models to streamline the creation process, effectively bridging the gap between concept and playable game.

Unity frames this as a democratising move, something we’ve heard a lot when discussing problematic issues with AI. The pitch is simple: anyone with an idea could potentially bring a game to life, even without programming skills. In doing so, the company is nudging itself into a position alongside the best game development software, appealing to both hobbyists and indie developers. Moreover, it feels like a strategic play to gain a lead over rival Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5, which has steadily dominated the AAA and indie landscape.

For now, the tool targets casual games and smaller projects suited to AI-assisted workflows, but it raises questions about quality, originality, and workflow integration. The games industry remains divided on AI, with some, such as EA and Tencent, keen to harness AI’s speed, while many, such as Nintendo and indies like Supergiant Games and Thatgamecompany, are resolutely anti-AI. Gamers, particularly, are averse to anything ‘made with AI’.

AI-made but unwanted?

While some see AI as a productivity booster, others worry about derivative content, buggy builds, and potential job displacement. Steam has already begun requiring disclosure when AI-generated assets are used, reflecting growing concern in the wider gaming community. Which all leaves Unity on a knife-edge between catching lightning in a bottle as it ignites and being burnt to a crisp.

The GDC beta will be Unity’s first chance to show whether this vision works in practice. If successful, it could mark a turning point for no-code game dev software and broaden the reach of the Unity platform, but whether it signals a genuine creative revolution or a marketing gambit to challenge Epic remains to be seen.

Ian Dean is Editor, Digital Arts & 3D at Creative Bloq, and the former editor of many leading magazines. These titles included ImagineFX, 3D World and video game titles Play and Official PlayStation Magazine. Ian launched Xbox magazine X360 and edited PlayStation World. For Creative Bloq, Ian combines his experiences to bring the latest news on digital art, VFX and video games and tech, and in his spare time he doodles in Procreate, ArtRage, and Rebelle while finding time to play Xbox and PS5.

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