Japanese developer Level-5 has publicly addressed viewer concerns about visual anomalies in trailers shown during its Level-5 VISION 2026 II: Dreams presentation, confirming that the studio will reupload corrected versions of those trailers during Tokyo Game Show, which begins on September 17.
Level-5, the studio behind franchises such as Professor Layton and Yo-kai Watch, faced scrutiny after fans flagged odd-looking background details in the Yo-kai Watch 2: Haunted Domain trailer, a remake of the original Nintendo 3DS title.
Viewers pointed to unnaturally simplified power lines, vending machines and rain gutters in promotional key art, prompting questions about whether generative AI had been used to produce those elements.
In a statement published via Automaton, Level-5 made a clear distinction between the studio's cinematic presentation work and the games themselves.
The company said the contested background elements were hand-drawn by in-house designers and that any perceived anomalies were the result of intentional omissions or human error during asset creation.
Rewriting the studio's explanation in journalistic terms: Level-5 asserts that the background art in the trailers was produced by its artists, and that the inconsistencies identified by viewers stemmed from manual choices or mistakes rather than automated image generation.
Another point of confusion involved the protagonist Nathan, whose facial model appeared different between the VISION presentation and the Nintendo Direct segment.
Level-5 attributed that discrepancy to the Nintendo Direct deadline, which required the studio to supply an earlier, unfinished character model for that broadcast.
Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino has acknowledged limited use of generative AI, but specified its application.
Hino confirmed the studio used generative AI for the VISION event's video footage to enhance spectacle, apologized for any discomfort caused, and emphasized that all aspects of the games themselves were created by the development team.
The company also stated explicitly that no generative AI was used in the upcoming Professor Layton and the New World of Steam and committed to restricting AI use to efficiency-enhancing purposes, avoiding direct use of AI-generated content in promotional videos going forward.
Level-5 will reupload corrected trailer assets during Tokyo Game Show beginning September 17, allowing attendees and viewers to compare updated footage alongside the studio's clarified statement.
The episode underscores growing industry attention on how studios disclose and apply generative AI in game production and marketing.
Level-5, the studio behind franchises such as Professor Layton and Yo-kai Watch, faced scrutiny after fans flagged odd-looking background details in the Yo-kai Watch 2: Haunted Domain trailer, a remake of the original Nintendo 3DS title.
Viewers pointed to unnaturally simplified power lines, vending machines and rain gutters in promotional key art, prompting questions about whether generative AI had been used to produce those elements.
In a statement published via Automaton, Level-5 made a clear distinction between the studio's cinematic presentation work and the games themselves.
The company said the contested background elements were hand-drawn by in-house designers and that any perceived anomalies were the result of intentional omissions or human error during asset creation.
Rewriting the studio's explanation in journalistic terms: Level-5 asserts that the background art in the trailers was produced by its artists, and that the inconsistencies identified by viewers stemmed from manual choices or mistakes rather than automated image generation.
Another point of confusion involved the protagonist Nathan, whose facial model appeared different between the VISION presentation and the Nintendo Direct segment.
Level-5 attributed that discrepancy to the Nintendo Direct deadline, which required the studio to supply an earlier, unfinished character model for that broadcast.
Level-5 CEO Akihiro Hino has acknowledged limited use of generative AI, but specified its application.
Hino confirmed the studio used generative AI for the VISION event's video footage to enhance spectacle, apologized for any discomfort caused, and emphasized that all aspects of the games themselves were created by the development team.
The company also stated explicitly that no generative AI was used in the upcoming Professor Layton and the New World of Steam and committed to restricting AI use to efficiency-enhancing purposes, avoiding direct use of AI-generated content in promotional videos going forward.
Level-5 will reupload corrected trailer assets during Tokyo Game Show beginning September 17, allowing attendees and viewers to compare updated footage alongside the studio's clarified statement.
The episode underscores growing industry attention on how studios disclose and apply generative AI in game production and marketing.
