UPDATE
What do you think of Square Enix using AI for this title? Do you think they’re taking their first steps down a very slippery slope? Let us know below!
ORIGINAL STORY
Various “trends” within the digital space over the last several years have come and gone and caused all sorts of problems along the way. But one problem that persists among certain groups is the plans for using AI not just in writing but also in art. You might recall that the Hollywood strike among writers and actors was partially caused by studios wanting to use AI scripts and pay writers less as a result or use AI to capture a person’s likeness and use them in films without consent. For video games like Foamstars, using AI isn’t “out of bounds” when it comes to art, apparently.
Another thing you might recall is that Square Enix noted that they were aiming to be “aggressive” with how they used AI with their gaming titles in the future. That worried many players because the last thing they want are games that aren’t as “robust” or “quality” because an “AI thought this path was the best one.” Enter Foamstars, a video game that is looking to capitalize off the success of a certain Nintendo property by making a 4v4 multiplayer title focused on foam and building terrain with it so you can take out your foes.
In an interview noted by VGC, producer Kosuke Okatani was asked about the use of AI, and not only did he say that AI art would be in the game, he specifically noted which parts:
“All of the core elements in Foamstars – the core gameplay, and the things that make the game enjoyable – those are all made by hand. However, we did want to experiment with AI as well.”
Specifically, they used the AI art program called Midjourney to help make player icons. According to him, that was the only thing they used it for:
“In terms of the content in the game, this makes up about 0.01% or even less, but we have dabbled in it by creating these icons in the game.”
After hearing this, Square Enix also noted that the in-game album covers for the title would feature AI art.
“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.”
While this may seem harmless, it’s not unheard of for companies to see something they like and then “keep moving things inch by inch” until the “tiny amounts” they used now encompass everything. It’s something to be aware of for sure.