Generative AI is quickly infiltrating the gaming industry, and Japan seems to have officially crossed that line. According to the latest “JOGA Online Game Market Research Report 2026” released by the Japan Online Game Association (JOGA), 100% of the Japanese game companies surveyed have introduced generative AI tools, which means that AI has almost become part of the industry’s development process. However, after the news was exposed, players’ concerns about AI have once again aroused.
AI is no longer a matter of “should I use it”, but “how to use it”
The survey shows that the most commonly used AI tools currently include Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude and GitHub Copilot. They are mainly used in development processes such as program writing, document organization, and planning assistance. The purpose is to improve work efficiency rather than completely replace developers.
However, what players care about most is not the AI itself, but whether the AI will be overly involved in game production. According to the survey, the most common concerns raised by players include “copyright infringement” and “the game is becoming more and more similar.” They are worried that a large amount of AI-generated content will gradually cause the work to lose its original creativity and characteristics.
AI is widely popularized, but players’ doubts have not disappeared
In fact, Japanese game companies have introduced AI very quickly in recent years. At the time of the 2025 CESA survey, more than half of Japanese game companies were already using AI. Now, in just one year, all companies surveyed in the JOGA survey have adopted AI. It can be seen that generative AI has changed from a “new technology” to a daily tool for game development.
Whether AI can help game development may no longer be a question. The real challenge is, when every company starts to use AI, whether players can still feel the creativity and soul behind the work. After all, the tools can be the same, but everyone still hopes that the final game will not be carved out of the same mold.