Game developer LEVEL-5, known for the popular "Inazuma Eleven" and "Yo-kai Watch" series, has recently become a hot topic on social media in Japan. Netizens pointed out that the company appeared to use generative AI-produced footage in its "LEVEL5 VISION 2026 II Dream" official news broadcast on September 10.
As trailers for multiple new titles were unveiled, some fans grew concerned that the use of AI in promotional materials could reflect the quality of the final games upon release. In response, LEVEL-5 CEO Akihiro Hino quickly issued a statement addressing the company's use of generative AI.
The "LEVEL5 VISION 2026 II Dream" was a presentation streamed on LEVEL-5's official YouTube channel on September 10, hosted by Hino himself to announce the latest information on several new titles.
The event featured updates on remakes of popular series like "Yo-kai Watch" and "Professor Layton," as well as the newest installment in the "Inazuma Eleven" series, "Inazuma Eleven: Bold Revolution," the all-new RPG "Holy Horror Mansion," and the puzzle RPG "DECAPOLICE."
While new trailers were being released, questions arose on social media about whether the videos or some of their assets were created using generative AI. Given LEVEL-5's history of production delays, some users questioned if AI was used to quickly generate content to fill out the presentation, leading to a wave of dissatisfaction online.
Traces of generative AI were suspected in the announcements for several games, leaving many to wonder why a major presentation would be handled in such a manner.
In response to the discussion, LEVEL-5 CEO Akihiro Hino released an official statement.
He began by explaining, "Simply put, because we wanted to make the presentation more visually impressive, we incorporated processing using the latest AI technology as part of an experiment." He continued, "We understand that some people were uncomfortable with this, and we sincerely apologize." Regarding game development itself, Hino clarified that core creative elements such as scenarios, character designs, and foundational settings are all created by human hands.
He explained that generative AI is primarily used to improve workflow efficiency in tasks such as digitizing human-made work, including "accurately converting original artwork into polygonal assets." He also emphasized, "Please rest assured that no simplistic AI-generated output data is included in the games that are released."
On the other hand, Hino stated that by improving efficiency with generative AI, creators can dedicate the time saved to the "essence of creation." He believes the final products will achieve a level of quality that will be even more satisfying to players. "Ultimately, under the plan to shorten the current 5-year development period for major titles to 2 years, we are in the stage of trial and error, and struggling forward."
"However, we cannot deny that we used AI in many areas this time to make the presentation more intuitive and spectacular." He concluded, "We will take this as a lesson and carry it forward to the next one, so please look forward to Level Five's next presentation."
This was not the first time Hino had discussed the topic. Back in December 2025, he had already talked about using generative AI on his X account. At that time, he also mentioned using generative AI to shorten production time, stating:
"The fact that AI can significantly shorten production time is undeniable, and I believe it has the potential to overturn the conventional wisdom of game development." He also expressed his hopes for the future: "The AAA games everyone wants to play now often take 5 to 10 years to develop, but in the future, we might be able to create a world where everyone can play a new AAA game every two years."
Regarding the ongoing debate over generative AI, he commented, "If used correctly, it has the power to enrich the world of creativity." He concluded by expressing his hope that creators and players alike will understand that AI is a tool used by humans in the creative process. "I hope both creators and consumers can understand that 'AI is a tool—used by humans to create works.' With continuous technological innovation, I sincerely hope the game industry will continue to advance!"
Despite the explanation, many netizens remained unconvinced. They argued that even if AI is used, it shouldn't be so crude as to be immediately obvious in a presentation, which gave the impression of a rushed job rather than a carefully prepared event.
Of course, the use of AI in the game industry is not new, but many players still find AI-generated content unacceptable. Using AI to embellish a presentation only to face criticism from fans suggests that LEVEL-5 may need to be more thoughtful with its future announcements.