Square Enix and Google recently revealed their collaboration on Oshaberi Slimey (Chatty Slimey), an AI chatbot powered by Gemini that will serve as the player’s companion in Dragon Quest X. At the Google Cloud Next 2026 conference in Las Vegas, Dragon Quest series creator Yuji Horii discussed his vision for AI “companions” in gaming and his enthusiasm for their integration across various titles.
According to Toyo Keizai, Horii sees AI as “not just a convenient tool, but a friend to each individual player,” believing it can revolutionize the adventure experience in RPGs.
When questioned about the inspiration behind bringing Chatty Slimey to Dragon Quest X, Horii explained: “When I first created Dragon Quest, my goal was for the townspeople’s dialogue to mirror real human conversation. Now, with AI, we can make them feel even more lifelike. However, simply substituting townspeople with AI wouldn’t be engaging.”
Horii chose an AI side-companion that players can consult on in-game matters as well as everyday topics, akin to an AI assistant but within a game character’s persona. “With regular AI, people might feel self-conscious about treating it like a friend, but if it’s a game character, the comfort level is higher, making it easier to discuss various subjects,” he noted.
Further elaborating, Horii stated, “It’s wonderful that [Slimey] can empathize with people’s concerns and discuss topics beyond the game. I’d like to explore how AI characters can support players during gameplay, potentially expanding this into other series. AI characters could serve as guides for newcomers and, over time, become friends to players even after they stop playing.”
In response to player inputs, DQX’s upcoming Chatty Slimey will provide guidance on next steps or equipment choices based on game progress, in-game screenshots, inventory, and more. It will also support real-time voice interaction via Gemini Live and, as Horii mentioned, won’t restrict conversations to game-related topics. While a beta version has been tested, the official launch date remains undetermined.
Mido