🚀 Capcom Explores AI for Vast Game World Creation

Capcom is exploring the use of generative AI to streamline the creation of the vast number of design concepts required for its game environments. This initiative comes as video game development costs continue to escalate, prompting publishers to investigate AI tools – a move that remains controversial. Recent examples include a reportedly AI-generated cosmetic item for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and accusations of AI use in a Call of Duty loading screen. EA has even declared AI as "central" to its operations.

In a recent interview with Google Cloud Japan, Capcom's Technical Director Kazuki Abe (known for his work on titles such as Monster Hunter: World and Exoprimal) detailed the company's AI experimentation. Abe highlighted the significant time and resources dedicated to generating the "hundreds of thousands" of unique design ideas necessary for game assets. He cited the design of everyday objects like televisions, each requiring unique designs, logos, and shapes, as an example of this intensive process. Thousands to tens of thousands of such objects per game necessitate multiple design proposals, each involving illustrations and textual descriptions for communication with art directors and artists.

To address this efficiency bottleneck, Abe developed a system employing generative AI. This system processes game design documents and generates design concepts, accelerating the development process. The AI iteratively refines its output based on self-generated feedback.

Abe's prototype, leveraging multiple AI models including Google Gemini Pro, Gemini Flash, and Imagen, has reportedly received positive internal feedback. The anticipated outcome is a substantial cost reduction compared to manual design creation, along with potential quality improvements.

Currently, Capcom's AI implementation remains focused on this specific system. Other crucial aspects of game development, such as core gameplay mechanics, programming, character design, and overall creative direction, continue to be handled by human developers.