AI was everywhere at gaming’s big developer conference — except the games

European tech policy is increasingly focused on the integration and regulation of artificial intelligence, particularly within burgeoning sectors like the gaming industry. Despite widespread AI presence at industry events, its direct incorporation into actual game development remains a nascent area, presenting both opportunities and challenges for European developers seeking to lead in digital innovation. The continent's policy frameworks, such as the AI Act, aim to foster responsible AI deployment, balancing innovation with ethical considerations. At recent gaming conferences, vendors showcased generative AI tools capable of creating AI-driven Non-Player Characters (NPCs) and even entire game experiences from textual prompts. Demonstrations included AI-generated fantasy worlds and AI assistants for quality assurance that automatically logged issues in shooter games. Notably, a standing-room-only presentation by Google DeepMind highlighted playable AI-generated spaces, indicating significant research interest in this domain. The pervasive discussions around AI at these events underscore a growing trend toward leveraging AI for game creation and development processes. However, the absence of AI's direct application within the games themselves signifies a gap between theoretical potential and practical implementation. This reality prompts questions about the readiness of current AI technologies for complex game mechanics and the potential for European firms to pioneer these integrated AI gaming experiences, thereby strengthening their digital sovereignty.