LEVEL5 has officially apologized for the use of generative AI in its press conference promotional videos and announced future usage guidelines. The company pledged that such technologies will only be used to improve work efficiency and will no longer be directly applied to videos and visual works presented to players.
The controversy stemmed from the "LEVEL5 VISION 2026 II Dream" press conference held on September 10. Players questioned whether some new game trailers used generative AI footage. President Akihiro Hino later admitted on September 12 that some videos had indeed been processed with AI to enhance the presentation effect of the press conference.
Akihiro Hino also stated that core content such as game character designs, scripts, and basic settings were all completed manually, and the game itself did not rashly adopt AI-generated data. LEVEL5 subsequently announced corrections to some promotional videos, including errors caused by AI use and human work mistakes easily mistaken for AI flaws, and re-uploaded them during the Tokyo Game Show.
In response to controversial details in the illustrations for Yo-kai Watch 2: Bonyari, LEVEL5 stated that some were intentional omissions while others were human oversights. The unnatural-looking power lines were background simplifications hand-drawn by designers referencing real utility poles and wires; these have now been corrected. Issues with details such as vending machines, rain pipes, and bicycle brake levers will also be improved.
Regarding the discrepancies in Keita's face between the Nintendo Direct and LEVEL5 press conference videos, the company denied that this was caused by AI. The two videos used character models from different stages: the Nintendo Direct had an earlier deadline and could not adopt the new model, while the subsequent in-house press conference used an adjusted version.
LEVEL5 also clearly stated that Professor Layton and the New World of Steam did not use AI at all. The company acknowledged that after using AI in videos, human errors are easily suspected to be related to AI, thereby damaging players' trust in the production process.
The company stated that it will further check work accuracy and final product quality, limiting AI usage to improving work efficiency and avoiding the direct use of generated content in videos and visual creations intended for players.