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【Foreword: A bombshell in the gaming world—Level-5's helmsman speaks out】
In the gaming world, Level-5 stands as a paragon of turning stone into gold. From Professor Layton and Inazuma Eleven to Yo-kai Watch, each of their creations brims with unique creativity and warmth. Yet, as the wave of generative AI (GenAI) sweeps across the globe, this veteran studio finds itself at the forefront of the storm.Recently, Level-5 President Akihiro Hino shared profound insights on AI's role in game development. His statement—"A knife can be used for cooking or as a weapon"—not only highlights technology's dual nature but also dropped a bombshell between players and developers.
【The Kitchen Knife Theory: Is AI a God-Tier Teammate or a Deadweight?】
In an interview, Akihiro Hino likened AI to a "kitchen knife." This is a very interesting perspective:
- To do a good job, one must first sharpen their tools: Hino believes AI is a tool that can maximize development efficiency. In today's gaming industry, where production grows increasingly intricate and development costs often burn through budgets like water, AI can handle vast amounts of repetitive, tedious foundational work. This frees creators to focus on core design elements with more "soul."
- Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it: He also acknowledged that if used improperly, AI could indeed disrupt industries. But the key lies in "the user's intent." Just as a chef uses a kitchen knife to create exquisite dishes rather than to harm others, developers should view AI as an assistant, not a replacement.
【Short Comment】: President Hino's perspective is remarkably down-to-earth. Rather than blindly pursuing technology, he adopts a pragmatic approach. As game development cycles grow increasingly lengthy, complacency risks leaving companies behind. The key lies in leveraging strengths and addressing weaknesses.
The Tug-of-War Between Efficiency and Creativity: Why Are Game Companies Falling Down the Rabbit Hole?
Developing AAA-tier blockbusters nowadays takes five to six years, no matter the studio. For a company of Level-5's scale, efficiency is a lifeline. Akihiro Hino mentioned that Level-5 is exploring how to apply AI in:
- Automatic Generation of Art Assets: Reduce the time spent drawing backgrounds or basic objects.
- Script and Dialogue Assistance: Helps screenwriters generate creative ideas, shortening the painful brainstorming phase.
- Initial code development: Enables engineers to build game frameworks more quickly.
【Short Comment】: This isn't about forcing the issue, but rather a collective anxiety within the gaming industry. If AI can handle 80% of the mechanical tasks, the remaining 20% can be left to humans for that final touch of refinement—which would undoubtedly boost productivity immensely.
【Controversy: Will AI Deplete Creativity or Cool Art?】
Of course, not everyone bought into this argument. Many longtime fans of Level-5 worried that AI intervention would strip the games of their "handmade feel" and "human touch."
- Is it the finishing touch or overkill? The most precious aspect of artistic creation lies in human life experiences and emotional projection—a realm AI still struggles to reach. If we over-rely on AI, will the resulting works become formulaic, leaving players feeling they're bland yet hard to discard?
- The Battle to Protect Their Livelihoods: Grassroots artists and playwrights fear they may become mere "operators" for AI, or even face unemployment. This is an extremely sensitive topic in the current gaming industry.
【Brief Commentary】: President Hino emphasized that AI is a "tool" rather than a "creator," an attempt to allay external concerns. Yet striking a balance between high efficiency and high-quality art remains a high-wire act demanding considerable wisdom.
Conclusion: Only by keeping pace with the times can one remain invincible.
Hino Akihiro's remarks are essentially a call to set aside prejudice. In the face of the relentless tide of technological progress, burying one's head in the sand is not an option. We should not fear AI, but rather contemplate how to wield this "sharp blade" to cut through the thorns of development bottlenecks.For gamers, our greatest concern is whether Level-5's long-delayed new titles—like Professor Layton and the Steam-Powered New World—will finally arrive on schedule and deliver high quality. If AI can accelerate this process without compromising the game's soul, why not embrace it?In summary, the role AI plays in game development ultimately hinges on human "original intent." As long as that creative spark burns within creators, AI will remain merely an embellishment—never a cold machine that replaces humanity. Let's wait and see how Level-5 wields this "AI blade" to craft the next game masterpiece that will astonish players worldwide!”
