Developer Stage-5 has apologized for and defined its use of generative AI after followers noticed “AI slop” in footage of video games like Professor Layton and the Curious Village, DecaPolice, and extra.
Considerations emerged following the studio’s Nintendo Direct-style presentation earlier this week. Dubbed Level5 Imaginative and prescient 2026 II: Desires, the present got here with first appears to be like at upcoming video games, and it additionally occurred to function what followers suspected to be a number of examples of genAI.
Those that tuned into the 50-minute presentation spent extra time speaking about what they believed was proof of AI use reasonably than the video games, such because the Professor Layton remake, Yo-Kai Watch 2: Haunted Area, and DecaPolice. The footage inflicting a stir is generally restricted to background scenes, nevertheless it’s the truth that followers needed to query Stage-5 within the first place that is turned the scenario right into a full-fledged controversy for the Japan-based studio.
Oh no Stage-5 is DEFINATELY utilizing Gen AI to “replace” Professor Layton. Particularly while you evaluate the unique backgrounds to the brand new. So many bizarre particulars and inconsistencies have been added. https://t.co/AjVNfgetkk pic.twitter.com/0tRQ9vKn03
— AmericanYoshi (@AmericanYoshi) September 10, 2026
⁉️ Dans le nouveau trailer de Yo-kai Watch 2 : Haunted Area, Nathan a… changé de visage ?! 😭#YOKAIWATCH
Hier (gauche) / Aujourd’hui (droite) pic.twitter.com/Vr3rzwNPA7— Yo-net Watch (@YonetWatch) September 10, 2026
“I used to be SO excited when Stage-5 introduced their large comeback with Professor Layton, Decapolice, Yo-Kai Watch, and extra,” one fan on X/Twitter said. “However seeing this a lot blatant genAI getting used throughout their video games… yeah, this ain’t it”
“You have been a fantastic studio,” one other fan said. “Now you might be nothing greater than a disappointment to us. We don’t need this AI s**t.”
Stage-5 president and CEO Akihiro Hino, who additionally hosted the showcase along with his personal animated avatar, took to X/Twitter to calm the noise. His message was each an apology and a proof, confirming that Stage-5 did, the truth is, use generative AI for some points of improvement.
Hino described Stage-5’s heavy use of AI as “experimentation with the newest know-how,” including that the staff “sincerely apologizes to anybody who discovered this off-putting.”
I used to be enthusiastic about Decapolice however Stage-5 AI use is disgusting to me. I am unable to help that. https://t.co/EpxgBtCnDo
— Kabi (@KabiPlays) September 10, 2026
“Nonetheless, please be assured that every one parts defining the attraction and individuality of our launched titles— such because the state of affairs, character designs, and foundational settings — are created fully by human arms,” Hino mentioned (by way of Google translate). “We make the most of AI primarily to streamline the method of digitizing human-created property; for example, precisely changing unique paintings into 3D polygon fashions. You’ll be able to relaxation assured that the video games we launch don’t include content material merely generated by AI.”
Hino additionally defended how Stage-5 has used AI to date, saying: “the time saved by AI-driven efficiencies has allowed our creators to dedicate extra of their efforts to the true essence of creativity.” For him and the remainder of the staff, the assumption is that the completed variations of video games like Professor Layton and the Curious Village will nonetheless please followers in the long run. A part of the explanation it leaned so closely on genAI this time round was so it might shrink “the event cycle for main titles from the present 5 years down to 2.”
“That mentioned, we can not deny that we made intensive use of AI this time, pushed by a want to ship a presentation that was visually hanging and straightforward to know,” he continued. “We are going to take this expertise as a studying alternative for the longer term, so please stay up for Stage-5’s subsequent presentation.”
— ⬡ Nectur Bee ⬢ (@NecturBee) September 12, 2026
It is a proof that hasn’t gone over properly within the Stage-5 group. Replies to the put up embrace followers nonetheless involved about generative know-how getting used throughout improvement at all, fearing that affected video games might be endlessly tarnished.
“Generative AI is educated on the stolen works of numerous artists by tech corporations to revenue off their work, with the intent of changing artists,” one fashionable reply said. “By utilizing it you changed artists. You are profiting off of the talent of artists whose work has been stolen to energy this software program.”
“I imagine the human coronary heart issues greater than pace to market; absolutely it’s higher to take 5 years with out utilizing AI,” one other put up written in Japanese said (by way of Google Translate). “If even a single asset is created utilizing AI, the nagging fear — ‘Is that this picture, piece of music, or line of dialogue made by AI or a human?’ — would by no means go away. Is not preserving that belief a very powerful factor?”
Hino did not provide a selected recreation plan in the case of how Stage-5 will tweak its improvement plans going ahead. For now, Professor Layton and the Curious Village, a remake of the unique 2007 recreation, is slated to come back to PC and consoles in 2027. One other new recreation within the sequence, the New World of Steam, is due out this December.
Michael Cripe
Freelance Author
Michael Cripe is a contract author with IGN. He is finest identified for his work at websites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Make sure to give him a observe on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).