Former Atlus developer Kazuma Kaneko – renowned for his contributions as an art director and character designer on the Megami Tensei franchise – recently sat down with Nikkei Gaming to discuss his perspectives on AI and its potential impact on game development roles. This discussion follows the April launch of Kaneko’s Tsukuyomi, a deckbuilding RPG he crafted under COLOPL. The title incorporates 3,600 AI-generated cards, produced by a model reportedly trained on Kaneko’s artistic works, which sparked mixed reactions and boycotts among his fanbase, particularly in Western regions.
Reflecting on the experience, Kaneko confides to Nikkei that adopting AI felt akin to “pulling the chestnuts out of the fire,” indicating he foresaw the controversy. Nevertheless, he asserts the primary motivation behind his decision was “simply because it seemed intriguing.”
Kaneko draws parallels between generative AI and the resistance it faces to prior technological milestones. “That’s how it was when CG was introduced into animation production. Technological breakthroughs occur periodically, and that’s only natural. The challenge for creators is whether they can adapt to them, and the sole method to discover this is to experiment,” he explains.
Regarding AI supplanting human positions, Kaneko views it as an “unavoidable” outcome, at least in certain domains. “When sewing machines emerged, many seamstresses likely lost their jobs. But that doesn’t mean those skills vanished, they persisted at a higher tier in haute couture and other sectors. Likewise, I believe the work of game creators will also bifurcate into aspects that are automated and those that endure.”
For game creators to “thrive” amid AI’s rise, Kaneko posits that the key factor is their capacity to “gauge human emotions,” a skill essential for crafting entertainment audiences will find truly engaging. AI, he notes, inherently lacks this (Kaneko refers to it as a deficiency in “impure motives/selfish desires” intrinsic to humans), and thus cannot evoke the audience’s emotions through surprise, shifts, boldness or “poison” to entertain them.
Although there’s no word yet on Kaneko’s upcoming ventures, it appears he retains an optimistic outlook on AI’s role in game development. On a related note, a Steam port of Kaneko Kazuma’s Tsukuyomi was just revealed for July 24.
In an update from February this year, Kaneko’s employer COLOPL disclosed it had 11 PC/console games and 5 mobile games in its pipeline, one of which is “AI-driven.” Given that Kaneko originally departed Atlus and joined COLOPL seeking to explore his own fields of interest (such as mobile gaming) and launch his personal projects, it wouldn’t be surprising if he were directing one of these unrevealed titles, though this remains speculative.