The use of artificial intelligence in video game development remains controversial, and Brandon Stirrup, Microsoft’s senior business strategy executive, has argued that studios unwilling to adopt the technology have no future in the industry.
Stirrup said on social media that he created a small game in two days, spending only three hours actively working on it and without previous game development experience. He acknowledged that the result was poor but considered it evidence of how AI is expanding access to game creation.
“I created a bad but improvable game through Vibe coding in two days, and only spent three hours of active work,” Stirrup said. He added that, after testing it, he believed anyone could create a video game. Vibe coding refers to programming through natural-language instructions given to an AI system.
The executive also offered a blunt assessment of the technology’s role in the sector, saying that developers who refused to believe AI had a place in their future should not be working in the business. He argued that companies could not sensibly plan five or ten years ahead without considering AI, which he believes will significantly change current development tools and processes.
Stirrup further claimed that hundreds of Xbox employees already use artificial intelligence and criticized the video game industry for being one of the few sectors that, in his view, still avoids publicly acknowledging its use. The comments represented his personal position and were not presented as an official Microsoft policy.
His statements prompted widespread criticism, and Stirrup deactivated his X account less than 24 hours later. According to an Xbox source, he made the decision because of the volume of responses he was receiving.
The controversy comes as Microsoft continues to strengthen its focus on these technologies, including the recent creation of Xbox Labs, an initiative focused on experimenting with new tools and possibilities for video game development.
Sources: Vandal.