The Japan Computer Entertainment Suppliers Association (CESA) announced the preliminary results of the gaming industry status report at the 2026 Tokyo Game Show. The proportion of Japanese developers using generative AI has risen to an impressive 85.8%, up from 51% last year, according to a survey of employees at studios and member companies including Capcom, Sega, Level-5 and Konami. Meanwhile, 63% of respondents use technology every day, and another 22.8% use technology from time to time.
Developers cite improving operational efficiency, shortening production cycles and reducing costs as the main motivations for introducing artificial intelligence. The main precaution in this case remains to force manual control, verification and editing of results. Commenting on the statistics, CESA Executive Director Tsutomu Masuda stressed that a key challenge for the industry going forward will be finding a balance between technological capabilities and the protection of intellectual property rights.
