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Making games is extremely hard. The programming is the easiest part. Your comment really undersells how difficult making a good game is.

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More and more indie games rely on a well-optimized, unique mechanic (factory builders, voxel engines, etc.) and pushing that to the extreme.

Trying to vibe code such algorithms generally yields results that are not suitable for realtime gaming performance. I’m sure they’ll get there, but saying “make it fast” without carefully directing the algorithm design causes LLMs to add hack on hack on hack, creating a slow, spaghetti code monstrosity.

From all I have seen measurable performance improvements are what AI excels at.

Is this your first hand experience?

I think the issue is not that the LLM can’t optimize a straightforward algorithm but that what makes an algorithm successful in a game is much more nuanced than big O notation, especially where visuals are concerned.

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