With generative AI sparking widespread discussion in the gaming industry, Japanese game developer Capcom recently weighed in on its stance regarding the technology. Capcom stated it won't be using AI-generated assets directly in its games, but instead plans to actively explore how generative AI can boost efficiency and productivity in game development.
Capcom released the Q&A from its latest shareholder meeting on March 23, 2026, addressing questions about generative AI. The company clarified: "We will not be incorporating AI-generated assets into our games. However, we plan to actively utilize it as a supporting technology to enhance development efficiency and productivity." Capcom also noted it's currently evaluating the potential for integrating the technology across various fields, including graphics, sound, and programming.
In fact, Capcom began testing generative AI technology as early as January 2025. According to Japanese media reports, Capcom previously used Google Cloud to build a "creative generation" prototype system to help its development teams brainstorm game world concepts and scene details. Capcom Technical Director Kazuki Abe stated that one of the most time-consuming tasks in game development is creating a vast amount of detail and object designs for game worlds.
Abe pointed out that for large-scale games like "Monster Hunter," development teams need to design multiple concepts for every object in a scene, ultimately generating hundreds of thousands of different ideas for comparison and evaluation. Each object requires textual descriptions and visual references to ensure consistent overall style, making the development process extremely time-consuming.
Capcom's generative AI system can read design documents, images, spreadsheets, and other data, then generate more creative proposals based on existing content, helping teams accelerate the concept ideation process. These AI-generated visual references will be provided to art directors and art teams, with human creators ultimately completing the official assets.
Capcom emphasized that generative AI is primarily used for repetitive and time-consuming tasks, and the final game content will still be produced by the development team. This strategy also reflects the gaming industry's cautious approach to AI technology.
Generative AI has become a major industry focus in recent years. Capcom recently garnered attention when "Resident Evil: Requiem" (バイオハザードレクイエム) was used in an Nvidia DLSS 5 tech demo. Some players felt the character visuals in the demo were too realistic and lacked the original style, sparking debate. Nvidia later stated that DLSS 5 re-generates frames via AI to enhance visual effects.
According to a survey released this year by "Game Developer," approximately 36% of game developers already use generative AI in their daily work, mostly for data research and creative ideation, with core creation still performed by humans.
As AI technology continues to evolve, the gaming industry still needs to strike a balance between improving efficiency and maintaining creative style. Capcom's latest statement demonstrates that major game companies, when adopting generative AI, are still opting for it as a supplementary tool rather than a direct replacement for the creative process.
via： IGN