Call of Duty Ghosts: next-gen AI development held-up by lack of final console tech

Call of Duty: Ghosts is heading to PS4 and Xbox One some time after the game hits current-gen formats on November 5. However, Infinity Ward's executive producer Mark Rubin has said that the creation of next-gen AI is taking longer than the game's visuals due to the studio not having final consoles yet.

Speaking with OPM, Rubin said that the team's AI work is going “Slower than some of the graphics, to be honest, just because we don’t have final hardware yet”. He added that the delay has caused the team to be more cautious with its ambition and said, "Obviously we are in crazy early development and we will have to see how the consoles play out."

"We are making big strides”, he said, but added things won't truly progress until, “we actually get the hardware. We need some hardware, some finished hardware, before we can really expand”. It's not clear if he's talking about PS4 or Xbox One, or both for that matter, but either way can someone give the man his new hardware please?

On the AI itself, Rubin added that enemies in Ghosts will all react differently to environmental events, the team's attack dog and other dynamic situations in the world. “They might behave differently to the dog," he continued, "or behave a little differently compared to the events that are happening in the level.

"They take some of the environment cues and pay attention to them. A lot of times they just kind of ignore the environment, they are just like ‘OK this guy is supposed to be here I’m shooting, but the building is falling all over me… No, I’m still shooting you’. So sort of doing stuff like that. It is subtle, really subtle. AI in general is one of those things [where] the subtle things are often easy to notice when it is bad."

What about you dear reader? Do you think the Call of Duty AI has needed an overhaul for some time - I'm guessing you do - but tell us all about it below.