Nintendo art director Takaya Imamura faced online backlash, primarily from Japanese users, after posting about experimenting with generative AI for prototyping a 3D shooter game. Imamura defended the work as testing and clarified he never intended to release the prototype, noting AI helps him bridge the gap between his ideas and technical implementation.
Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino apologized after fans discovered undisclosed AI use in the studio's digital showcase, confirming generative AI was used to make presentation footage "more spectacular." Hino stated that core creative elements like scenarios and character designs remain human-made, with AI primarily used for efficiency in converting artwork to polygons and digitizing creative work.
Level-5 fans are concerned the studio is using AI in its games following a September 2026 presentation showcasing Professor Layton remakes and new titles. Multiple games including Yo-kai Watch 2, Inazuma Eleven: Bold Revolution, and DecaPolice face accusations of featuring AI-generated art and animations, with CEO Akihiro Hino having previously stated that 80-90% of game code is now AI-written and the studio admitted to using ChatGPT for character designs in past projects.