Social Sim ‘Today’ Closes Seed Round for AI NPCs and No-Code Building

A web3 company called Today has secured $5 million in seed funding for its upcoming gaming experience of the same name. Today aims to create a social simulation game similar to Animal Crossing, featuring tradable digital assets and non-player characters (NPCs) powered by generative artificial intelligence (AI). The game revolves around players using different rarity “seeds” to develop their own virtual islands, each with unique features, characters, and objects. Although the game is set to be released in early 2025, work-in-progress videos showcase a cozy gaming environment reminiscent of popular titles like Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and Sun Haven, which provide simulated social experiences.

To enhance the social interaction in the game, Today plans to use generative AI to power its NPCs. This technology includes powerful AI models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude, capable of generating realistic speech on various topics. By implementing these systems, the NPCs in Today can engage in endless conversations with players. It is important to note that even the most advanced generative AI systems sometimes produce responses that may contain false or nonsensical information.

According to Michael O’Connor, co-founder of Today, the objective is to replicate real-life relationship dynamics within the game. O’Connor mentions that social simulation games often lack deep and realistic NPC interactions, leading to limited player immersion and superficial exchanges. Today aims to overcome these limitations by utilizing advanced AI to give their NPCs unparalleled depth and responsiveness. By doing so, the game could provide players with a balance between the eventual repetition of NPCs’ scripted dialogue and the potentially chaotic experience of multiplayer gaming with other human players.