Given the ongoing challenges with video game preservation, in which it’s estimated that more than 90 percent of classic games are “critically endangered,” the rise of AI in the decomp scene can be seen as something of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it has created a surge of interest, turning words like decomp and recomp from niche terminology to headline material, while allowing non-programmers the opportunity to experiment and test ideas. On the other hand, the speed and lack of attention to detail in many of these projects run counter to the aims of most preservationists, who try to not only keep games alive for modern audiences but also understand the way they were built. AI is a quick fix that could have long-term drawbacks.
