In a move sparking curiosity and debate, Square Enix has confirmed using artificial intelligence (AI) generated art in their upcoming PlayStation shooter, FoamStars. This marks the first time the Final Fantasy publisher has openly acknowledged incorporating AI-created assets into one of its major titles.
The revelation came during a recent press event thanks to VGC. Foamstars producer Kosuke Okatani admitted to employing Midjourney, a popular generative AI tool, to create a small number of in-game icons. These specific assets function as album covers for the game’s soundtrack, representing roughly 0.01% of the total content. While that may seem like a small amount, many would argue that any AI is bad.
Okatani clarified that “all of the core elements in Foamstars,” including gameplay and core mechanics, remain hand-crafted. However, he expressed the development team’s desire to experiment with AI, viewing it as a potential tool to assist and augment traditional methods. This adheres to a letter sent out during New Year’s, where the CEO promised the company would experiment with AI in their games.
“AI was used in the creation of the in-game album covers for the music featured in the FOAMSTARS’ soundtrack. As developers, we’re always looking at new technologies to see how they can assist with game development. In this instance, we experimented with Midjourney using simple prompts to produce abstract images. We loved what was created and used them as the final album covers players will see in the game. Everything else was created entirely by our development team.”
Statement given to VGC
The move comes amidst rising concerns surrounding the ethical implications of AI in creative industries. Some artists argue that tools like Midjourney threaten their livelihoods by potentially replacing human creators and utilizing their work without consent for training purposes. Ongoing lawsuits against Midjourney and other AI developers underscore these anxieties. Regulatory bodies, including the European Union, are also taking steps to address data privacy and copyright issues related to AI training sets.
Whether Square Enix’s foray into AI-generated art marks a significant shift or a singular experiment remains to be seen. However, it undoubtedly contributes to the ongoing conversation about AI’s ethical and artistic implications in creative fields. While Square Enix’s experiment in FoamStars appears limited, it signifies a growing interest in leveraging AI’s potential within the video game industry.
We know that AI integration is coming, but how far it goes and how it will affect livelihoods remains to be seen.
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