Foamstars has AI-generated artwork, Square Enix confirms

2024 may be a turning point in Square Enix's market strategy. Its renewed relationship with Microsoft will lead it to expand its player base by adding some of its titles to Xbox, such as Final Fantasy XIV (and there are rumours that Final Fantasy VII: Remake will follow in the future), but the studio and publisher is also one of the companies most committed to cutting-edge technologies such as the use of AI and the now dubious Web3 and NFTs.

The use of AI in video games is still a thorny issue among the public and companies, especially with the uproar that formed around Hollywood actors and screenwriters (many of whom also work in video games) with the strikes in 2023, but Square Enix already mentioned in their New Year's statement that they would embrace such technology in their games, and we will soon see the first example of this with Foamstars.

The Splatoon-like shooter with foam weapons is coming to PlayStation consoles on February 6, and according to a response to VGC during a press conference, Foamstars uses AI-generated art (specifically with Midjourney) for the game's icon designs.

"All the core elements of Foamstars, the gameplay and the things that make the game fun, are handmade," says game producer Kosuke Okatani. "However, we did want to experiment with AI as well (...) this makes up about 0.01% or even less, but we have dabbled in it by creating these icons in the game."

Specifically, these icons correspond to the cover art for the game's soundtrack tracks, which appear in the player.

Not that it's an overly invasive use, but the artists who do this will probably wrinkle their noses at this new precedent.

What do you think of Square Enix's policy on the use of AI?