Japanese game developer Level-5 has revealed plans to refresh certain game trailers and promotional artwork showcased during its “Level-5 VISION 2026 II: Dreams” event, alongside clarifying its future approach to generative AI. The studio will address inaccuracies stemming from both AI utilization and human oversight, with updated materials slated for release at Tokyo Game Show 2026.
Level-5 specifically tackled feedback about the key artwork for Yo-kai Watch 2: Haunted Domain. Some viewers suspected the unusual appearance of power lines and vending machines was due to AI generation, but the company clarified these were manually crafted by its artists. Certain details were intentionally left minimal or omitted as they were background elements. Nevertheless, human mistakes were also identified.
Furthermore, Level-5 affirmed that no AI modifications were applied to Nathan Adams’ facial features between the Nintendo Direct and Level-5 VISION 2026 II: Dreams previews. The discrepancy arose from tighter deadlines for the Nintendo Direct, which left insufficient time to finalize Nathan’s character model. The VISION 2026 II: Dreams footage presents the most recent iteration of his model, explaining the visual differences. The studio also confirmed no AI was utilized in the promotional video for Professor Layton and The New World of Steam.
Level-5 expressed regret over the skepticism and confusion generated, acknowledging that its casual AI implementation led to human errors being misinterpreted as AI artifacts. Going forward, the developer intends to restrict AI to “efficiency-enhancing purposes” and steer clear of direct use in promotional content. While AI was employed in the presentation, the studio clarified that its upcoming games will not feature AI-generated content.