A report from the Japan Association of Computer Entertainment Suppliers (CESA) shows that over half of the Japanese gaming companies surveyed use artificial intelligence during development. This claim is based on responses from 54 companies for a preview of future reports.
The preview reported by Nikkei is from the 2025 CESA Video Game Industry Report, which is scheduled to be released in full in early December. The survey sample was drawn from CESA member companies. It is portrayed from major publishers such as Capcom, Konami, FromSoftware, Square Enix, and Sega, as well as smaller, independent studios. CESA is the organiser behind the annual Tokyo Game Show.
Preview data confirmed that 51% of supported companies use AI. The most common applications cited were related to the generation of visual assets and character images. Other primary uses include story and text generation followed by programming support. The survey also found that 32% of companies use AI to develop their own game engines.
Several Japanese companies are open about their involvement with AI. In 2024, Square Enix CEO Takashi Kiryu said the company will “become aggressive in applying AI.” The company's shooter developer, Foamstars, later admitted that he “put his daddy” with technology while making the game.
Other publishers also looked into AI integration. In 2023, Automaton publication reported that Professor *Layton *Studio Level-5 used stable diffusion of AI tools. Earlier this year, Capcom was known to be experimenting with generator AI. Sega also maintains the founded in-house AI team and deals with technology.
In contrast, Nintendo takes a different public stance and is not particularly present on the CESA member list. In a statement made last year, company executive Miyamoto declared that Nintendo would “morely go in a different direction.” He linked this decision to the fundamental pursuit of the company's originality in creative work.
The subject of AI has also been a recurring theme at recent Gamescom industry events. There, the technology has been described by several independent studios as an invaluable tool for the development process, indicating a wider trend within the global industry.
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