A new report released at the 2026 Tokyo Game Show shows that generative AI has become widespread in Japanese video game development. According to a survey conducted by the Computer Entertainment Suppliers Association (CESA), 85.8% of respondents said they use generative AI as part of their game development process.
Among those surveyed, 63% said they use AI tools daily, while 22.8% said they use them only occasionally.
Generative AI use among Japanese game developers has jumped by more than 70% in a year, according to CESA. Last year, 51% of surveyed developers said they used AI in their work, either regularly or occasionally. The results match a wider pattern among software engineers in other industries, many of whom now treat AI tools as a normal part of building apps and games.
CESA has only released a preview version of the full survey, with the detailed report scheduled to be published in December. While the preview does not reveal exactly how developers are incorporating AI into their workflows, the most commonly cited benefits include “improved operational efficiency and productivity,” followed by “shorter development cycles” and “reduced development and operational costs.”
Nearly all respondents said they don’t use AI-generated output in their code. They described the tools as mostly limited to debugging, fixing errors, and automated testing. Developers said humans “confirm, modify, and supervise” all AI use to guard against misuse. Studios are also reported to cap which tools staff can use and how far, so people stay in charge of creative decisions and final quality checks.
CESA conducted the survey earlier this year among developers at Capcom, Sega, Level-5, Konami, Square Enix, Koei Tecmo, Sony, and other member companies.
In a statement, CESA Executive Director Tsutomu Masuda pointed out that generative AI is showing up more and more in game development, according to this year’s report. He also warned that adopting new tech shouldn’t put intellectual property rights at risk.
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