Capcom Taps AI for Massive Content Creation in Gaming

Capcom is exploring the use of generative AI to streamline the creation of the vast number of design concepts required for its game environments. The company faces the challenge of generating "hundreds of thousands" of unique ideas for in-game assets, a process traditionally very time-consuming and labor-intensive.

With escalating video game development costs, publishers are increasingly turning to AI tools to improve efficiency and reduce expenses. This trend has sparked controversy, as seen with Activision's reported use of AI-generated content in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and previous titles. EA has also publicly stated AI's central role in its operations.

In a recent interview with Google Cloud Japan, Capcom's technical director Kazuki Abe (known for his work on Monster Hunter: World and Exoprimal) detailed the company's AI experimentation. Abe highlighted the significant workload involved in generating diverse designs, even for seemingly simple objects like televisions, each needing unique logos, shapes, and overall aesthetics. He emphasized the sheer volume of proposals and accompanying illustrations needed for approval.

To address this, Abe developed a system utilizing generative AI. This system processes various game design documents and outputs concept ideas, significantly accelerating the design phase. The AI iteratively refines its output based on self-generated feedback, further enhancing efficiency.

This prototype, leveraging AI models like Google Gemini Pro, Gemini Flash, and Imagen, has reportedly received positive internal feedback. Abe anticipates that widespread implementation would lead to substantial cost reductions and potential quality improvements compared to manual creation.

Currently, Capcom's AI implementation is focused solely on this concept generation system. Other crucial aspects of game development, including gameplay mechanics, programming, character design, and overall game ideation, remain firmly under human control.