Square Enix's CEO recently flirted with disaster when he reaffirmed the company's desire to explore AI and blockchain technology. While most would've expected this to mean that the Japanese giant's potentially risky venture will happen in the future, this isn't the case. Apparently, its upcoming PlayStation-exclusive shooter, Foamstars, uses AI-generated assets, a revelation that, obviously, hasn't been met with welcoming arms.
In an interview with VGC, Kosuke Okatani, the producer of Foamstars, revealed that Square Enix used AI tools for the game's artwork, specifically the album covers for the soundtrack. The tool in question, Midjourney, is one of the most well-known generative AI tools. It's popular for transforming text prompts into visual art, but it has drawn plenty of controversy, particularly for crossing the line between taking inspiration from existing works and plagiarism, among others. Okatani emphasized that AI-generated art in Foamstars is minimal, accounting for roughly 0.01% of the game's content. He assured that the core gameplay elements, which are crucial to the game's enjoyment, were hand-crafted by the development team.
Square Enix's decision to experiment with AI in Foamstars is part of the growing trend in the gaming industry, where AI technologies are increasingly being explored for various purposes. From enhancing facial animations and camera angles in games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake to creating in-game icons and artwork, AI is slowly finding its way into different aspects of game development. This move is not only about innovation but also about efficiency and exploring new creative possibilities.
