Kinetix launches $1M AI-UGC Fund to boost game development

French game developer software company Kinetix has launched the AI-UGC Fund, a $1 million initiative designed to support game developers and modders in bringing generative AI technology directly to gamers. 

SmokeSpotGames, the makers of customisable fighting and fashion title Dropcult, is the first studio to receive support from the Fund.

Kinetix provides game developers with its Embeddable AI Emote Creator, allowing players to create custom 3D animations from videos directly within the game. This enables game studios to turn their players into creators, addressing the growing demand for customisation and fresh content. 

OVERDARE, the new UGC game from South Korean publishing giant KRAFTON, has already embraced this technology.

The Fund aims to accelerate game studios' adoption of AI-UGC features. Selected developers will receive up to $75,000 each to bring Kinetix’s User-Generated Emote technology to life in their games or mods, as well as dedicated integration and marketing support.

Enabling players to express themselves through their own emotes satisfies gamers’ increasing needs for endless customisation and opportunities to create the content they want and which reflects their identities. And, by transforming players into active creators, Kinetix helps create an endless flow of content for games and gaming platforms at minimal cost.

“While recent developments in AI make it easy for anyone to create content, this revolution is yet to be provided to players, directly in 3D games.” said Kinetix's CEO Yassine Tahi. 

“With this Fund and our SDK, we intend to bring Generative AI capabilities into the hands of gamers, like we already did in OVERDARE or Dropcult”.

Yuriy Ternovski, CEO of SmokeSpot Games], commented: 

“We centred Dropcult around customisable avatars, fashion and dynamic gameplay that can be streamed and shared on social media.

Partnering with Kinetix took this further by letting our community express themselves through movement. Players like to create and share their creations. Everyone wins and we grew a large community around this!”