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Tetsu Okano, the director of Dreamcast RPG simulation game Segagaga, has decided to go all-in on GenAI for his next project: the Steam run 'n' gun shooter HIJURA SCARLET GEAR.
As you'll no doubt know if you've been reading this website over the last few years, the use of generative AI in video games has proven incredibly controversial, with countless developers facing criticism for adopting the new technology.
This has resulted in some truly baffling scenarios over the years where studios have been trying their best to avoid disclosing their use of generative AI, in the hopes that nobody will notice, or denying it outright when it has been discovered, even when the evidence is right in front of our eyes.
Okano (who otherwise goes by the name Zorge Ichizo) seems to be going for an entirely different approach, however, openly embracing generative AI with his next project, even if it may make him a pariah among parts of his existing fanbase. As outlined in the AI-Generated Content Disclosure on Steam, HUGA Inc. "actively adopts and utilises generative AI technology," with HIJURA SCARLET GEAR featuring generative AI for "code assistance tools" and "image generation."
As a result, Okano has promoted the project as an "AI-Toxic" game, pitching the title as a battle between the creative vision of a 35-year dev and the divisive tech.
Despite courting controversy, though, it appears the developer may be pre-emptively tapping out of any debates around the use of the technology itself, stating in the AI-Generated Content Disclosure that HUGA Inc conducts its "business lawfully based on current regulations and platform rules" and therefore chooses to refrain from "issuing individual statements or engaging in debates concerning legal interpretations."
Writing about the project on Twitter/X, Okano said, under his studio's account, "To put it simply: I completely pushed AI to its limits to build this game. As a veteran dev, I wanted to see what happens when a real game maker goes all-in with AI.
"I know AI in gaming is a sensitive, highly controversial topic right now, and some might hate me for it. But hey—I’ve never been one to play it safe anyway. The game turned out ridiculously chaotic, unhinged, and over-the-top. But honestly, since my games have always been chaotic and unhinged, it’s a match made in hell."
As a fan of Okano's work in the past, it's safe to say I'm more than a little disappointed at the move, and it seems I'm not alone, with this seeming like a short-sighted move to generate attention, at the expense of good he has built up over the years.